The Frozen Flower
by neverquitelogistical
Summary: Their fates intertwine - the tragic life of a fox-turned-human who was blessed and cursed; the tale of a kinslayer on the search for the truth behind his master's murder. Their stories started out differently, and little do they know they would meet again, but will they overcome their obstacles together, or will they go against each other due to their conflicting natures?
1. Chapter 1: The White Fox

**Disclaimer: Characters belong to Riot Games**

* * *

 **The White Fox**

Spring had always been her favourite part of the year. It was the only time where the cherries were the ripest, and the fields were often blanketed by a blanket of fallen pink petals, covering the grounds with a bright sheen of cheerful colours.

It was also the time where the weather was not too hot in the day, nor was it too cold at night. The fruits were the sweetest, and Ionia would be at its merriest time, full of children's laughter and the hustle and bustle of the marketplace. Her steps were the lightest at this time of the year – she realized she did not have to work to stock up for winter, and she had more time to spend under the warm sun.

The white fox darted in between trees, sniffing the air. She smelt something sweet and ripe, its familiar scent alluring and attracting her to the temple within the woods which she had called home. As she neared the temple, she smelt something else as well, something thick and choking – _incense –_ and also the distant, rhythmic sound of a gong.

Her senses, however, were only fixed on the sweet smell. She followed the fragrance, her pointed ears pricked as she detected the tiniest of noises. Her green eyes darted back and forth, looking for anyone passing by. Realizing the area was clear, she licked her paw and went nearer to the fragrance.

And there it was – a plate of ripe, juicy peaches that was placed in front of a majestic bronze statue, holding a sword in a formidable manner. There were incense sticks lighted in front of the statue, and the peaches were an offering from the temple. The fox licked her snout hungrily, and dashed towards the peaches.

Happily, she helped herself to the fruits, white tail brushing back and forth as she nibbled merrily on the fruit. She was free of worries for some time, until a sharp _twang_ caught her attention, and she immediately snapped.

Her white fur stood, and her tail frizzled. She was on high alert, her ears twitching as she detected the source of the noise. She soon took notice of a young boy, dressed in sky blue Ionian robes who sat under a tree, a flask of rice wine next to him while he held an odd musical instrument – a _qum_ , which was an instrument of a long wooden plank with steel strings of various lengths and thickness tied across it. It was a heavy instrument, and the boy held it across his lap as he held a think wooden stick near one of the strings, while his other finger pressed on a few strings at the same time. He strummed with the wooden stick, and another note sounded in the air, making her twitch.

She flinched. He obviously did not notice her, as his attention was fixed solely on the _qum_. Beside him laid a beautiful silver sword, one that she knew would be a threat to her if he decided to use it.

The boy took a sip of his wine, then resumed with tuning his instrument. He strummed a few notes, and on the fifth resonance, he began to sing in Ionian as he played:

 _I've gone to the temple to light a blessing,_

 _But the monk grabbed ahold of me,_

 _And so I had no choice,_

 _But to sleep and serve or plea,_

 _If word got out about this,_

 _It would surely be my fault,_

 _So to whom do I confess my sinless sins to?_

 _To whom do I confess my sins to?_

The white fox watched, captivated and intrigued by the boy's sweet voice. He continued singing while playing the song, its melody reverberating in the air. His voice was strong and unshaken, complimenting the slow yet inspiring tune to the song. Every note he played matched well with the notes he sang, and there was a vivace to his performance that made it so _beautiful_.

When the song ended, and the temple was thrown into silence once again, the boy put down his _qum,_ and reached for the flask beside him. He took a sip then chuckled to himself.

"Yasuo," he called out. "I know you're around,"

A few leaves on a nearby tree rustled. Birds chirped. The white fox remained still, not daring enough to make a move.

The boy frowned. " _Yasuo_ ," he called again.

Another boy, dressed in similar Ionian robes, slid down the tree which the player leaned against. This boy was younger, and his hair was tied in a tight ponytail, but a lot more shaggy compared to the player's slick and neat hair. His face had blots of mud and dirt, as though he had rolled in a puddle several times on that day.

Despite the huge discrepancy in their appearance, it was obvious that they were both brothers. The younger boy had a sparring sword strapped to his hip – the kind that was made of real steel, but blunt around the edges. He plopped down beside his brother, and the elder brother smiled while rubbing the younger one's face, cleaning the dirt off his face.

"Look at you," he admonished. "Have you been to the market square again? What if the Elders find you sneaking out of the temple?"

The younger boy, Yasuo, pouted. "It was _one_ time, Yone. The Elders are against everything I do while you're free to whatever you want,"

"Everything I did is not without purpose," the player, known as Yone, wagged a finger at his brother. He placed the cumbersome _qum_ on the ground, sighing as he rubbed his sore thighs. "Whereas everything you did, is just plain mischief,"

His younger brother frowned, pouted and crossed his arms, showing his temper. "They even gave you a real sword," he eyed his brother's steel sword – beautifully forged and delicately crafted, made for a warrior's hands. The white fox's ears twitched – it was as though she could feel the envy creeping in the boy's words.

Yone chuckled and shook his head.

"When will I ever get mine? I've beaten ever single boy in this school. I've even beaten you once!" Yasuo drew his sparring sword and struck at the tree Yone leaned against. True to his words, he was able to make marks upon the tree trunk, even though the blade was blunt. The trunk shook, just as Yone's laughter shook both the fox's and the little brother's souls.

" _Onda-ri_ ," Yone playfully called his little brother while he vigorously rubbed his wild hair. It was the nickname that Yasuo hated the most, a term which meant _little bug_ in Ionian. It was meant to be used as an endearment Yone had for his little brother, but Yasuo always thought his brother was calling him weak.

Yasuo only frowned even more.

"You are strong, never doubt that," Yone made his brother look at him. "But you must be patient. Learn to suppress your wild nature, and enjoy the quiet things that happen only for the briefest moments in your life – just like now,"

Yasuo made a disgusted face. "And learn to play music or calligraphy like you?"

Yone laughed. "Perhaps. Then you will know patience,"

"Yone," Yasuo's face lit up, and Yone arched an eyebrow upon seeing the mischief glinting in his eyes. "The song you played just now,"

"What about it?"

"I've heard it in the market square,"

Yone's eyes widened to wide saucers, and his burst of outrage frightened even the little fox that was hiding behind the statue. Her hair stood as he screamed.

"You did _what?_!" Yone yelled. Yasuo only grinned mischievously. " _Where have you been to?!_ This isn't funny, Yasuo!"

"I must be right then," Yasuo only kept laughing at his brother's reaction. "You're singing _Ssanghua-jyom,_ the song of the _ssanghuas_. Where else would you know the song, if you've not visited a _ssanghua-dian_?"

"Yasuo," Yone said sternly. "That is not a place that a kid should visit. No one can help you if the Elders find out!"

"Relax!" Yasuo waved a hand, dismissing his concern. "I've heard the _ssanghuas_ sing it from the balcony of a _ssanghua-dian._ Funny way to attract men, isn't it? But it works," Yasuo then stood and imitated the antics of a _ssanghua_ , waving his arm in a seductive manner while swaying his hips back and forth, another hand concealing the lower half of his face while he giggled playfully.

Yone sighed. "You do know what's a _ssanghua-dian_ right?"

"It's a place where mercenaries drink and fuck, I know," Yasuo said. Yone then flicked his brother's forehead, and Yasuo cried while rubbing the sore spot.

"Never say that, Yasuo. It's improper,"

The little brother frowned. "Yet it's proper for you to sing the song of the whores?"

Yone flicked his brother's forehead again.

"Never call them that, Yasuo," Yone reprimanded. "Some of them may not have a choice. It's not right for you to call people names unless you've walked in their shoes,"

"Are you showing sympathy, brother? How else would you learn the song, if not from one of them?"

"A chance encounter," Yone explained. "I found the song, by chance, hidden in one of Elder Sung's erotic books which he concealed in the library – now don't tell anyone!"

Yasuo giggled.

"The meaning of the song intrigues me, not the ones who sing it," Yone said, while he subconsciously plucked the strings of his _qum._ "Sometimes, Yasuo, some people had no choice. Or rather, they were forced to do something they were against,"

Yasuo frowned. "I don't really understand,"

Yone laughed. "It's alright, _onda-ri_. You're too young to understand. I'll wait until you are older," he reached into his robes and took out a thin, long item, wrapped in swathes of cotton. "I've made you a gift,"

Excited, Yasuo grabbed it with both his hands and quickly unwrapped his present. Upon finding out what it was, his shoulders stumped.

"A _di_?" Yasuo exclaimed, obviously disappointed, as he held a handmade bamboo flute in his tiny hands.

"You'll only learn patience once you learn music, _onda-ri_ ," Yone remained indifferent to his displeasure.

The white fox's ears flattened, as she realized that these two boys were totally oblivious to her presence. Her stomach growling, she reached for another peach, placed slightly far away from the statue. Just as her snout was about to touch the fruit, her ears stood as she heard the sound of a twig snapping, and before she knew it she was suspended in the air, held by a rope tied tightly around her leg as her world turned upside down.

Both brothers snapped to attention upon hearing the her yelp. The older brother, Yone, knitted his eyebrows in confusion, whereas his brother lit up upon seeing her caught by the snare.

"I can't believe this! I caught it!" Yasuo shouted and ran towards her. Frightened, she gnashed her teeth and struggled to be freed, but the rope only bit tighter into her skin, rubbing it sore.

"You placed a snare in the temple?" Yone asked incredulously.

"Something has been feeding on the fruits we used to pay homage to Lord Kenji," Yasuo reasoned, briefly looking at the bronze statue that stood proudly with his sword brandished. The young boy then pointed at the white fox. "And there it is, the culprit,"

Yone sighed. "Have you got no sympathy, _onda-ri_?" he reached out to her and cooed gently, but she was scared and threatened. She growled and tried to bite him as his fingers approached her, just as he quickly retracted.

"Sympathy just tried to bite you, brother. And stop calling me that," Yasuo crossed his arms and frowned.

"She's hungry. Why would you think an animal would understand what is right and what is wrong? Look at her, she's trembling. Your snare is hurting her,"

"What do you want me to do?" Yasuo raised his hands to the skies in disbelief. "I can't risk letting those kids think that Lord Kenji's spirit has returned to _eat those fruits,_ "

Yone drew his sword. She jolted and shivered at the sight of the blade. Eyes wide, she thrashed even more wildly, trying hard to free herself.

"She's wild, brother," Yasuo protested.

"Try to catch her when she falls," Yone ignored his brother's pleas, and stood in a stance as though he was ready for battle. In a flash, he swung his sword, and it cut through the rope cleanly, dropping the catch.

Yasuo stood under the fox, and reached out to grab her as she fell. She landed softly in his arms, the rope still tied around her hind leg. Agitated, she bit Yasuo on the forearm, making the boy yelp and release her in pain.

She hopped off his arms. Thinking she was free, she tried to dash into the forest to make her escape, but the rope had rubbed her skin sore and she found it hard to run. Furious, she tried to run away from the brothers, but the elder brother scooped her up easily, and scratched her behind the ears.

The white fox opened her jaw trying to bite his hand, but it felt so _good_ that she could only roll around in his arms. She tried to bite him, but Yone was swift as he avoided her advances, and even risked rubbing her under the chin.

"Damn it!" Yasuo cursed, looking at the bite mark on his forearm.

"Here, use this. Rub some _miju_ on it and wrap it with a bandage," Yone threw his flask of rice wine to his brother, while he slowly placed the little fox upon the ground. She was calmer now, but still wary of the two brothers.

Yasuo did as he said, and remained far away from the fox that had bitten him, glaring at her.

"You had it coming, _onda-ri_ ," Yone shrugged. "The poor creature is hungry, perhaps we should feed her,"

"With what?"

"I have some flower cakes with me," Yone reached into his robe and took out a bundle. Unwrapping it, he placed it upon the ground a few feet away from her. The fox stared at the food laid before her, and she could feel drool dripping from her snout. But she remained still, fearing that it was another trap.

"Go on," Yone implored, standing back to show that he meant no harm. "You can have it,"

"Why are you so nice to a wild animal, brother?" Yasuo asked curiously.

"The best way to confront fear and hatred is to show love and kindness," Yone said as he rubbed his little brother's head. The white fox approached the food with slow steps, and when she finally sniffed the cakes, Yone beamed excitedly.

She took a bite, savouring the rich taste. Deciding that it was safe to eat, she ate even more, finishing the cakes within bites. Somehow, she had forgotten the two brothers around her, and was startled slightly when they both sat down near her.

Yone reached out and pet her behind her ears. Her ears twitched, acknowledging his existence, but continued licking the crumbles as she allowed him to pet her.

"See? She's tame,"

Yasuo reached out to stroke her fur. Upon seeing him, she crouched and growled at him, baring her fangs.

The younger brother held back his fingers. "No, she isn't,"

"That's because you trapped her," Yone chuckled, running his fingers through her fur gently. She enjoyed his touch somehow. She could not understand the exchange between the two brothers, but she knew she would be safe lingering around the older brother, and she felt comfortable as he treated her kindly.

While she was eating, Yone untied the knot that wound tightly around her leg. Just as she was about to stay closer to him, a distant bell tolled.

"It's training time, brother. The other pupils will be here," Yasuo stood abruptly.

"Oh no, you have to go before the others see you," Yone mumbled. As though hearing the urgency in his voice, the little fox stood, her yellow eyes fixed on the brother's brown ones. She watched curiously as he crumpled the cloth which was filled with flower cakes earlier and sheathed his sword. Then he knelt down, and tickled her under her chin.

"We will meet again, little fox," Yone smiled. "But you have to run now. Go, go back to the forests," he shooed.

Knowing it was time to leave, the white fox dashed back into the woods, crawling under the fence. When she looked back at the temple, people were filling into the courtyard, and the two brothers stood next to each other, lining with the rest of the pupils as they began their training.

She watched, curiously. And when another bell tolled, she understood it was her cue to leave.

The older brother promised that he would meet her again. Little do they know, fate had already decided that it was their first and last meeting.

* * *

It had been a while since the white fox met the brothers, and throughout the years she had forgotten them. All she knew were the trails of the forest and the winters she had worked hard to survive. Life was ever the same for her, and her only worries were to get fed and find shelter.

Then came the Noxian invasion.

She remembered it clearly. The trees burnt. The leaves were bright orange while the ground was black from the soot. It was winter that time, but it wasn't snow that fell, but ashes.

The white fox darted in and out, hearing screams and cries and sounds of crossing blades, blood being spilled and the shrill noise of an unknown creature. She watched humans die upon the charred grass – Ionian guards and Noxian soldiers alike. The colours of their armour meant nothing to her, however, the only thing that intrigued her was the reason the humans fought.

If they had a conflict to resolve, why should it involve burning the forest?

What do they hate so much they have to murder each other?

How much do they have to destroy to prove a point?

These questions ran through her mind, and she was confused for a while. Her yellow eyes fixed upon the dead soldiers, some of them mutilated, burnt and ripped apart. She was in a daze, that she did not notice a bloody hand reaching out for her.

When she felt something wet clapping down her back, she jumped. Looking back, she saw one of the dead soldiers, his belly torn open to reveal the bloody entrails within. He wheezed and coughed – she knew he hadn't the strength to harm her, and so she watched him.

"You," the old soldier hissed in pain. "You will feed on me once I die. Like those carrions and vultures. Only that Ionia had no such creatures. Only foxes and harmless creatures,"

The white fox stared at him, fascinated.

"I... shouldn't have joined the guard," he rambled on. "Perhaps... I should have spent more time... enjoying the finer things in life _._ But now we're burning _life_ ," he looked at the forest around him, the fire still raging and swallowing everything in its way.

"But you," the soldier stared at her. "You are _curious_ , little creature. I saw you looking at these soldiers. I noticed you, watching the men fight. You... you wonder why we fought so hard only to die, do you? You don't even understand me, but you're curious,"

The white fox blinked. The man only rambled on.

"I know what you want," he coughed. "You want to be _human_. Someone has been kind to you before, and now that you see what humans are capable of - _destruction,_ you're curious why they would act like wild dogs. And you want to be human to understand,"

The old soldier lifted a hand. His finger trembled, but the tip of it glowed an eerie green.

"I will give you a gift and a curse," the old soldier whispered. "I cannot enjoy what was given to me, so I will give you that opportunity. But remember that this is also a curse. Be prepared for repercussions,"

With his last ounce of strength, the old soldier reached out to grab the fox by the neck. He pushed his palm onto her head, and she felt pain searing through her skull. Massive amounts of energy flowed through her entire body, and her pupils narrowed significantly.

The forest glowed a bright green, and a huge shockwave emanated through the forest, briefly putting out the fires that was demolishing the forest.

* * *

When she woke, she gasped loudly, feeling her lungs deprived of air. She got up, wheezing and coughing, her vision blurring and swimming as she tried to recompose herself.

She looked beside her – the old soldier, who turned out to be a mage, was dead. His eyes were opened, but they saw nothing, and blood continued to flow from his broken body.

She gasped again, supporting herself on weak arms. Her throat was dry, and subconsciously she reached for her neck. Then, she froze.

There was no fur, only smooth, bare skin.

Fear gripped her heart, and she wheezed again. It was then she realized she had a voice – a _human_ voice. She looked down, and instead of seeing paws she saw a pair of hands – milky skin, slender fingers and well-trimmed nails. Her hands shook as she touched her own face, feeling her lips, nose and eyebrows, and smoothly ran down her body which was very much human, with feminine features such as wide hips and firm breasts. When she touched the top of her head, she felt silky black hair in a state of unkempt, and a pair of furry fox ears on her head.

She looked behind her, and there she saw it. Nine white tails.

She had become _human_.

Bushes rustled, and she stayed still as she heard people speaking. _Ionian_ , she recognized immediately, though she could not understand a word that was uttered.

She was startled when two men emerged from the bushes. The two soldiers, clearly Ionian, stopped dead in their tracks upon noticing her, holding their swords aloft.

Their eyes were wide with panic upon noticing her ears and tails. "D-demon," one of them muttered, and pointed their swords at her.

She was frightened as well, but she had no way of conveying her words. She could not understand their language, let alone speak to them.

But she reached out a hand, hoping they would understand –

"I told you, this forest is _cursed._ The Noxians had done something!" one of the soldiers said frantically.

"We have to kill her," the other soldier said, convincing himself that she had to die. He held his sword and walked towards her.

She shook her head, scrambling back. She held a hand in front of her, trying to put some distance between the men and herself.

"She's afraid, perhaps she meant no harm,"

"It's a disguise! She's a demon, she'll lay a curse on us!"

Without hesitation, he raised his sword and rushed forward. The nine-tailed fox raised her arms in defense, and she shut her eyes tightly, waiting for the impact that would cleave her into two.

But it never came.

A scream was heard. When she opened her eyes, she saw a bright blue orb forming before her. It spun with energy, and reacted when she felt fear and panic flaring through her body.

She had no intention to hurt, but she followed her animal instincts, baring her fangs and throwing the orb forward. It danced forward just as she wished, and struck the man straight in the chest, before returning to her.

She watched as the man stood still in a daze, before dropping his sword and falling to his knees, his hands clawing at his throat as his eyes bulged out. He wheezed and gasped, and to his horror, a white mist began flowing out of his mouth. He howled as the mist was directed to the fox's orb against his will, and he continued to struggle, just as her orb sucked his essence away.

Then she experienced something odd. Her vision changed to something else, and it happened in flashes. It was then she realized she was watching a playback of the man's memories, experiencing his experiences – every sight, smell, sound and feeling.

But all those memories were painful memories, and each flash brought greater pain to her. She was on her knees as her orb flared red, experiencing the man's greatest fears and pain.

At the same time, she knew what the man knew. Suddenly she understood Ionian, and its culture, and what he loved and hated. Knowledge flowed through her, and her mind absorbed everything she saw.

When the man finally dropped dead on the floor, and her orb stopped vibrating with energy, only did she drop to the ground, gasping for air. Beads of cold sweat formed on her forehead and her naked back, and she looked at the remaining soldier, who was horrified by what he saw.

"It... It wasn't..." she spoke in fluent Ionian. "I meant no harm –"

"I saw what you did," the man quivered as he pointed his sword at her. "You're dangerous,"

"Please," she pleaded, too weak to stand. "I need help. It _hurts_. What he did _hurt_ me,"

"He's the one who died, not you!"

Terrified, the man threw down his sword in surrender, turned around and fled. Until a long chain and a hook sprung out of nowhere and caught the man in its grasp. The chain was made of links of human bones, and the hook was a sinister blade – curved and made to reap.

Dark energy emitted from the chain. The man found himself unable to move, and suddenly five phantasmal walls erected from the ground, and eerie howls sounded within the walls, drowning the man's screams.

When the walls broke down, the chain withdrew. Held at the end of the hook was a bright green soul, retracting back to its master who stood far away, holding a bright green lantern.

The fox stared at the demon with the chain and lantern. His head was nothing but a skull burning with green fire, and he wore a ragged cloak that seemed to belong to the dead. She watched as he chuckled, and placed the soul of the man he reaped into the lantern. She soon noticed that the lantern was alight not because it was lit by fire, but the souls within were burning and suffering.

"What are you?" she asked in Ionian. The demon moved closer to her, tilting his head to the side as he clearly could not understand her.

He spoke in another language, one that she could not understand. Upon seeing her puzzled expression, he grinned. Lifting the lid of his lantern, he withdrew a small orb of green energy – a _soul_ , she realized, one that was once human.

He spoke in his language again. But this time she recognized the word 'Noxian'. Before she knew it, he directed the soul to her orb, which was still pulsating harmlessly in her hand.

Her eyes flared red as her orb absorbed the soul. She soon saw the memories of the spirit she had unwillingly taken, and this time it hurt even more because the soul was already horribly _tormented._ She saw the life of a Noxian soldier, from his harsh training to his demise in the recent Noxian invasion. This time she screamed and collapsed from the pain, unable to withstand anymore torture.

Her eyes were hazy for a while. Then she heard the demon speak, and oddly she started to understand him.

"... if I do this, surely you will have the knowledge of the common tongue," he spoke. Then his eyes flared with great interest. "You showed a reaction, looks like I'm right,"

"Devil," she said in common tongue. The demon laughed.

"Believe me, we aren't so different anyway," he knelt and inspected her. "Beautiful... You absorb human's essence, and then you feel what they feel, and you obtain their memories, experiences and knowledge. No wonder the mage said it's a curse and a gift – you need the essence to stay alive in this form,"

"What do you know of me? Who are you?"

"I am Thresh," the demon said. "Like you, I take away people's souls. I told you, we are not so different, after all,"

"Those people... You make them suffer,"

Thresh shrugged. "I do not care,"

"I'm not like you," the nine-tailed fox shook her head.

"You are too human," Thresh sneered. "You do not have a choice, fox. You may have morality, and a guilty conscience for now. But soon you'll realize, that you will die without living off human's essence. Your nine tails will wilt, the white fur will fall and you will feel a searing pain as it burns away, and unless you take another soul, you will die painfully in this form,"

She shuddered, but she said nothing.

"This... this isn't what I wanted," she mumbled to herself.

"Be careful what you wish for," Thresh rattled his lantern. "You intrigue me, fox. I wonder which side of you will win – your sense of morality, or your survival instincts?"

The fox said nothing, only berating her cursed fate.

"But whatever it is," Thresh grinned. "Can I take your soul on the day of your death, little fox?"

* * *

 **Trivia: I had this story in mind a year ago, but _part_ of the plot, and the title, were heavily influenced by a 2008 Korean film I'm obssessed with - _Ssanghwajeom_ , 霜花店, or 'A Frozen Flower' in English. It's a historical film starring Song Ji Hyo and Jo In Sung, and it's explicit content makes it one of the most controversial films in Korea. But wonderful acting and beautiful plot. **

**In the ancient times of Korea (Goryeo, I think), _ssanghua_ was actually a type of cake/dumpling, and when translated to Chinese or English it literally meant _frozen flower_. At the same time, an erotic poem, namely _Ssanghwajeom_ was written by an unknown poet, and the song that I came up with in this chapter roughly follows the literal translation of the poem, but it's not exactly the same. The poem was sang as a song in the film 'A Frozen Flower', and I guess it explains the film's sexual themes. This is the song from the movie: watch?v=8bj4s2PPBXg**

 **Here's the direct translation of the poem in English: forum/a-frozen-flower/origin-of-the-a-frozen-flower-song/**

 **Now disclaimer: I only borrow the term _ssanghua_ and the meaning of the poem for my story. Soon, you'll understand (in the later chapters) the meaning of _ssanghua_ in my story. The plot of the film has nothing to do with the plot of the story. **

**Also, Ionia is obviously inspired by the Asian culture, and so I'm bringing in Chinese, Japanese and Korean culture to form the Ionian culture - namely the instruments, names and etc etc etc. Correct me if I'm wrong regarding the culture or anything (especially Korean culture), but do understand that I'm an Asian myself.**

 **A/N: This is the first chapter for my new story. Do leave a review and let me know what you think! Thanks for your support.**


	2. Chapter 2: The Kinslayer

**The Kinslayer**

Night gathers, and lightning shook the sky. It was the night of the new moon, and the wolves howled in the night, warning their prey as their voices echoed throughout the Tevasa jungles. The owls, meanwhile, unseen by the predators of the night, hooted in oblivion.

Deep within the heart of the jungle was the desperate, melancholic wail of a flute, a _di_ being played somewhere. A dilapidated shack without doors and lacked a wall, with its miserable palm frond roof, housed a young man who was very much drunk, his fingers trembling as he tried to play the flute.

Sighing, Yasuo put down his flute, and took another swig from his wine. His face was completely flushed, and he was _very, very drunk._ And rightfully so.

It had been a year since he cut down his own flesh and blood. His brother. That day was the day of his death.

 _Yone_ , he thought. _What was that song you played again? How did it go? Ssanghua-jyom?_

"I've gone... to the temple..." he mumbled in a drunken stupor. "I've gone..."

Ironically, there was a bronze statue at the back of the shack, with an incense pot full of ashes before it. Someone had built this shack with the intention to pay homage to an unknown god – Ionia was full of cults and religions.

If Yasuo had paid attention, he would realize that the bronze statue was the shape of a dragon.

"I've gone to the temple to..." he frowned. _What was it, what did he do? Light a candle? An incense?_ He thought and thought and thought, and took another gulp, hoping the wine would help him search a lost memory.

All that helped him remember was the blood and pain of that day.

 _I did not do it, brother._

Blades flashed and crossed. Wind howled as he controlled it with his sword.

 _What will it take for you to believe me?_

The stab of betrayal and hurt he felt as his brother swung his sword relentlessly, desperate to strike him down.

And with the last breath, the wind cut him down. Both brothers cried.

 _Who else, but you, wields the knowledge and the ways of the wind?_

As though echoing his sadness, it started to rain

Yasuo drank the rest of his wine, hoping to drown his thoughts. But they only haunted him further.

He desperately tried to remember the song that Yone had sung so many years ago. _Ssanghua-jyom._ He had already started forgetting his brother's face, his smile, his laughing eyes and handsome face. Yasuo gave a silent cry at the thought. He missed him terribly, so he must remember the song, if not his voice. It's the only thing that did not remind him of that day, whereas everything else did.

He tried to recall the tune. He could hear the _twang_ of Yone's _qum_ in his mind, but the lyrics and melody would not come to him.

"I've gone to the temple..." he gripped his flask tightly, hatred and guilt clenching his heart. _I miss you, brother. Why didn't you believe me?_

It started to rain. The fire he built was nothing but embers. With shivering fingers, Yasuo placed the flute at his lips and blew. The first note sounded.

 _I've gone to the temple..._

… _to light a blessing._

Yasuo gasped. He tried to remember the next line, desperately, as his fingers prepared to play the next line.

Then a robed figure approached the shack, running towards him as the rain began falling heavily.

Frowning, Yasuo tried to concentrate. The rest of the world did not matter to him. He only wanted to remember the song, remember Yone. He played the first line again to help him remember the next line of the song, until the hidden figure barged into the shack without invitation and revealed himself to be an old man, white of hair and grey of beard, with similar grey stormy eyes. Yasuo frowned, his concentration briefly disrupted, just as the old man smiled coyly at him while revealing two rows of perfect white teeth. Yasuo put down his _di._

 _I've gone to the temple to light a blessing..._

"... But the pervert grabbed ahold of me," Yasuo suddenly mumbled, glaring at the old man.

"Oh boy," the old man muttered, leaning his weight onto his wooden cane. "This downpour sure isn't stopping any time soon,"

Yasuo glared at him. "You don't belong here. I did not allow you to enter,"

The old man sat down opposite him and shared the warmth of the fire. "Did you build this temple, boy?"

Yasuo frowned. "Temple?"

"See that statue over there?" the old man pointed behind Yasuo. "That's the statue of the Storm Dragon. Someone built this miserable shack to pay respects to him. Well, they should have done better. What a depressing shelter," he mumbled to himself while shaking his head. "In other words, you don't belong here too,"

"Whatever," Yasuo muttered. "Just leave me alone once the rain stops,"

The old man hummed to himself, rubbing his palms together to keep himself warm. Yasuo was left to his own thoughts, mourning for his dead brother, until the old man said again.

"You're very drunk, boy," he stated. Then he pointed at the sword laid beside Yasuo's feet. "You a mercenary?"

"Worse," Yasuo answered. "I'm a kinslayer,"

The old man whistled. "Edgy,"

Yasuo frowned, his lips distorted uglily. "Are you not afraid, old man? I even killed my own blood. You are no one to me,"

"You can try," he said nonchalantly, dusting his robe. "No one will notice that I am gone. Not that you'll accomplish anything anyway, if you ever raise your blade at me. If the sight of blood soothes your troubled mind, however, you may proceed,"

Yasuo said nothing. He harrumphed, and unsheathed his sword. The old man fixed his eyes on him, but he barely flinched at the sight of bare steel.

Yasuo ignored him, and took out an oil cloth to polish his blade.

The old man pursed his lips. "You look haggard, boy,"

He hissed. "I'm not a _boy,_ "

The old man stroked his beard, gesturing the rack of ribs visible under Yasuo's bare skin. "When was the last time you ate?"

"Once the rain stops, get out of my sight,"

Grey eyes glared at him, but Yasuo could not bear to hold his gaze. "Do you not have a single coin?"

"I spent it all on wine," Yasuo mumbled under his breath, and slapped the bottom of his flask for every last drop of wine.

"That is most unwise," the old man admonished. "You are in the middle of a jungle, in a drunken stupor and you're not fit to fight. What if you're ambushed?"

"No one would care if I am claimed by nature!" Yasuo slammed his fist onto the wooden floors of the shack. His flask jumped and tumbled, but that did not startle the old man. "That is what they want, in fact. Even if I die, no one would miss me,"

"You have the looks of a murderer," the old man admitted. That did not faze Yasuo, but what he said next did. "But you do not look like a kinslayer,"

"I killed my own brother –"

"Because you were forced and cornered," he interrupted.

"My brother thought I committed treason," all the words tumbled from his lips. Did it matter? He was pretty sure they would never cross paths anymore after this. "I swear I did not. But he claimed that there was an... incontrovertible evidence,"

"And they sent your brother to apprehend you?"

"They want me dead," Yasuo shook his head. "They sent warriors, soldiers, bounty hunters. But they all fell before my blade. Then they sent my brother,"

The old man tutted. "You are merely seeking the truth, cutting those who hinder your way,"

"But I killed him," Yasuo lamented. "I sometimes wonder, if our roles were reversed, would he spare me, or would he kill me just because I'm an obstacle for him?"

"If you allowed your brother to kill you, he will live forever believing that you're a traitor. You only gave yourself a chance to keep finding the truth,"

"There is truly no way around this," Yasuo sighed. "I must find the real murderer. But many things could have happened during the war, and I have no leads or hints to begin with. It's like finding a needle in a haystack," he shut his eyes in despair. "I'm... giving up already,"

The old man said nothing, watching him carefully.

The howl of a wolf sounded in the distance. Rain continued to fall, the bullet-like patter upon the roof making it impossible to hear the cries of the nature.

"You should leave, old man, before the wolves find your scent," Yasuo advised. "The rain dampens their sense of smell. It will be easy for you to escape the forest undeterred,"

"Oh," the old man smirked. "And what about you, hero?"

"Just leave me be," Yasuo grunted. "Don't call me that,"

"Don't heroes always tell the others to leave first while they die alone amongst enemies?"

He waved away his concern. "These wolves are nothing,"

"You are drunk, boy. I doubt you can even stand without tumbling over your knees," the old man stood. "Before you know it, these wolves will gorge you like sacks of fresh meat,"

Yasuo jumped to his feet in a heated stupor, and in a flash he drew his sword, the silver steel glimmering beneath the moonlight. He staggered and swayed a little, but quickly maintained his balance as he struggled to focus.

The growls were louder this time. Then Yasuo saw it – a pair of yellow eyes staring back at him, full of murderous intent.

Before he could hold his sword or move into his stance properly, the beast leapt with its maw wide open, and pushed Yasuo backwards. Astounded, Yasuo struggled to avoid the wolf's claws and fangs with his sword. The wolf grunted and growled, the steel blade in between its fangs while its claws bit into his ragged tunic.

His limbs trembled, and he cursed – the wine had dulled his senses and weakened him.

"You should have listened to me," the old man reprimanded.

Yasuo gritted his teeth. If he wasn't in such a grim situation, he would have slapped the old man to oblivion. "Leave," he forced the word out of his mouth, feeling his strength slowly ebbing away with every moment. "If you can't help, leave,"

Another howl sounded somewhere, and Yasuo knew the whole shack was surrounded by a pack of wolves. He chanced a stare at the entrance of the shack, and his eyes widened in alarm. Two wolves crouched low near the entrance, ready to attack the old man who remained oblivious to the danger around him.

"Old man –"

"My dear boy, worry about yourself," the old man's grey eyes glinted for a moment, and Yasuo was puzzled how there wasn't a sliver of fear shown by him. "I'm perfectly capable of protecting myself,"

He turned around and acknowledged the wolves behind him, just as the beasts leaped. In that split of a second, a rumble shook the skies, and suddenly lightning struck the pack of wolves, shaking the ground and sending reverberations throughout the shack. The noise was deafening, but the old man remained unshaken or unaffected by the lightning.

Yasuo was blinded by the intensity of the lightning strike, his hands weakening as he was caught off guard. The blade gave way, and the wolf charged forward, sinking its fangs into his shoulder.

He cried out in pain. But it also gave him a burst of strength. He felt the rush of adrenaline, gripping his blade before throwing the wolf off himself.

Yasuo held his sword with his good arm. He looked at the old visitor briefly, then at the wolf which had recovered from its fall to begin another attack. Holding his sword, he was about to charge forward and put down the wolf once and for all, but then his vision began to swim and momentarily he lost his bearings. That was when the wolf attacked.

He swung his sword weakly, and the wolf avoided his blade while pinning him to the ground. One of his arm was badly wounded, and he knew he could no longer hold out.

Before the wolf could bite into his neck, however, the old man drew a blade from his cane and slashed the wolf from the back. The beast whimpered, before losing its hold and falling next to Yasuo, who was still panting from over-exertion.

He laid on the floor, watching the old man who held the sword with both his hands. The blade was thin and glowed a brilliant silver, its edge sharp enough to even split a strand of hair.

"Who are you?" Yasuo asked. He could feel cold sweat forming on his forehead, and he gripped his bleeding shoulder as he wheezed in pain. "A veteran?"

"You can call me Cheon-Wu," the old man named himself. He sheathed his sword, and used the perfectly disguised weapon as his cane again. "You're not wrong. I've fought many wars that plagued Ionia. I was there when the Noxians invaded,"

The man named Cheon-Wu approached Yasuo. Just as he reached out to inspect the gruesome wound on Yasuo's shoulder, he flinched and retreated away from the old man. Cheon-Wu stopped and stared at him.

"You don't trust me,"

"I know you're lying. That's not your real name, is it?" Yasuo huffed. "Call it a hunch. I can tell... you're more than what you seem to be,"

Cheon-Wu lifted his chin and stared at him defiantly. "I've taken many alias throughout my life. But for now, I'm a traveller named Cheon-Wu,"

"I can nurse my own wounds," Yasuo ripped the sleeve of his tunic, and bound his shoulder tightly as he grunted. "Get away from me,"

"The fate of a kinslayer. You are smart not to trust anyone," Cheon-Wu did as he said, and stayed far away as Yasuo grunted in pain. "But hear me, boy. Whether you trust me or not, that is up to you,"

Yasuo gripped his sword, afraid of what the man may be. But he listened, and the old man nodded at his silent approval, then continued.

"I don't know how you can clear your name, or seek the truth behind what you're framed with, but I know a place where you can start looking for answers,"

* * *

Yasuo entered the quiet village of Tevasa. It was early dawn, and the village was still asleep. Still, he pulled up his hood to conceal his face, afraid that he may meet any familiar faces that were hunting for him.

Wooden houses were everywhere, and there was a plot of land next to a small barn, planted with potatoes and cabbages. Livestock were seen wandering around the village, and surprisingly there were only a handful of guards seen patrolling the area. Yasuo looked to the northwest side of the village – a huge sawmill was put to work, sawing lumber into pieces to be sold to merchants and townspeople alike. The river flowed next to the sawmill, the current gentle and still.

 _At the edge of the forest lies the quiet village of Tevasa. The population there barely reached two hundred, but do take note that all the finest wood in Ionia comes from Tevasa. You'll notice foreigners in the village, somehow, merchants mostly, to purchase lumber and firewood from Tevasa._

He looked around, and noticed a house slightly larger than the rest. A tanning rack and a huge brazier were placed at the veranda, and smoke emerged from the raised chimney of the house. Yasuo looked at the hanging signboard upon the door – _Tenjin._ He approached the house and opened the door, entering the inn

 _Look for an inn that goes by the name_ Tenjin _. It's a house slightly bigger than the rest. Because it's a quiet place, you'll rarely notice anyone inside. But don't be fooled by appearances, boy, the inn is not what it seems._

As mentioned, there was no one in the inn. Most of the rooms and beds were empty, and a lone bard played a _hu_ by the roaring fire that was sat in the middle of the inn. Food and mead laid upon the long tables, but there was no one around for the feast. A man stood by the counter wiping mugs and tankards. Yasuo studied him carefully – he had long braided hair, and a strong build that befitted a warrior more than an innkeeper.

The bard still played his song. Yasuo noticed the man was heavily perfumed – he could smell the fragrance he wore even though there was a great distance between them. And he noticed he had some cosmetics on, but Yasuo did not give him a second glance. He approached the man at the counter.

 _Go to the man at the counter, and he should ask you a question, just as he does to all the other customers._

The man did not look up from his chore. "You here for a meal, or for bed?"

 _And you shall answer:_

"No delicacy can satiate my hunger for desire and lust is the one that starves me," Yasuo recited what Cheon-Wu had told him. "No luxurious beds can quell my exhaustion, for I yearn companionship and love of a woman,"

Yasuo held his breath, waiting for a response. The man stopped what he was doing, and fixed his gaze upon him.

"Who invited you?" the man asked again.

 _If he should ever ask the name of the patron that invited you, mention this name._

"Sanzang did," Yasuo simply answered.

The innkeeper put down the mugs. "Please follow me,"

 _And then he shall lead you to his own room down in the cellar. Pulling back the wardrobe, it will reveal a back panel. And you won't believe what lies beyond the panel._

 _What lies beyond the panel?_ Yasuo had asked Cheon-Wu back at the shack, unable to avoid his own curiosity.

The innkeeper held a ring of keys, and unlocked a series of locks upon the panel that was well-hidden by the wardrobe. After a few clicks, the panel was unlocked, and he pulled it back.

Yasuo's eyes widened at the sight before him.

 _Oh, you won't believe it_ , Yasuo remembered the old man chuckling with mishcief. _It's a_ ssanghua-dian _._

 _Surely, you jest?_ Yasuo had laughed nervously. When Cheon-Wu did not share his humour, Yasuo realized that he was being serious. _But ever since the Noxian Invasion, the Elders had abolished prostitution. All_ ssanghua-dians _have been closed down ever since. If anyone were to be found running the business, they would be incarcerated for years._

 _The Elders may have done that. But guards can be bribed, and ministers can be corrupted. Tevasa is a quiet town, and the troops placed here are barely a handful. The owner is clever – he knows how to pick his clients and employees alike. Everyone working for him is loyal to him, and he makes sure that his clients get enough benefits so he won't be ratted out._

 _This owner,_ Yasuo had asked. _Can he lead me to the truth?_

 _His name is Goryo. I did not say he can directly lead you to the truth. Many mercenaries pick up contracts at his place, and surely the_ ssanghuas _have heard a gossip or two from their clients. I'm saying that it's a start._

 _And why should I believe you? What if it's a trap?_

Cheon-Wu had guffawed, amused at his distrust. _You already have nothing to lose. What harm can my_ lies _do to you?_

And now he stood before an actual _ssanghua-dian_ , which was a lot bigger than he imagined. The lighting was slightly dimmed, save for the stage which was brightly lit with curtains drawn. There were booths placed everywhere, filled with merchants and sellswords, traders and sailors, highborn officials and even guards still donned in their military garment. The air was thick with the smell of wine, and Yasuo saw the bar at the other end, tended by two Ionian men. Men were lined up at the bar, and it only took him a glance to recognize them as mercenaries. He saw all sorts of armour – scaled, steel, heavy and light, some bulky and some designed for stealth and covert missions. The bartenders shoved parchments at them as they conversed, and some left coin purses as a few mercenaries handed in their own comtracts.

Beyond the main hall was a corridor, lined with rooms with doors bolted tight. He was slightly distracted by moans and lewd slapping noises. He did not have to guess to know what was happening beyond the locked doors, and he couldn't help but imagine because it had been so long –

"I beg your pardon," the innkeeper nudged him, bringing him back to reality. "Weapons are not allowed, you may leave them with me,"

Yasuo frowned, reluctant to part with his sword. He felt slightly uncomfortable, still in a state of disbelief. But knowing that arguing with the innkeeper would not end well, he unwrapped his sword which was tightly strapped upon his back, and handed it over to the innkeeper.

"I was told this is the place where I may accept contracts and do jobs as a mercenary,"

"That is true," the innkeeper nodded. "But first, you must come with me,"

He led him through the main hall, and Yasuo instantly drew the attention of many people. A few clients who were laughing and groping the _ssanghuas_ at the booth stopped their ministrations and looked his way. Mercenaries who were at the bar stopped drinking, and fixed their glare at him. Yasuo stared back, daring anyone to brawl. But they did nothing, only staring at him as he walked away.

The innkeeper led him into a chamber. It was spacious, splendidly furnished with a long desk placed in the middle. A beautiful painting of the Omikayalan was placed behind the desk, with a chair fit for a man of noble birth placed in between. A long featherbed was arranged next to the desk, with a metal chest at the foot of the bed. _The owner's office_ , Yasuo concluded.

The innkeeper closed the door behind them, and locked it.

It wasn't long before Yasuo sniffed that familiar scent. A perfume's fragrance.

" _Get him,_ "

Yasuo turned, but it was too late. Two large figures loomed over him, and they shoved him to the floor. They started beating and kicking him, throwing punches all over him but at the same time avoiding vital points, as if they only wanted to beat him to submission and not cripple him. Yasuo tried to open his eyes to see who they were, but had to bend low to protect his head. He feebly tried to retaliate, only to have his fingers snapped and stepped upon.

It felt like eternity before the punches stopped. Yasuo panted heavily, groaning in excruciating pain. _Bloody fools,_ he coughed and spat blood upon the rug he laid on. _If I had my sword, you'll be dead now._

A shrill voice sounded. "You've just spoiled my rug, love. That's expensive fur,"

Yasuo dared to look up, and found himself face-to-face with a short man, dressed in flamboyant colours. His face was heavily powdered, and his hair pulled back slickly, whereas his lips were coloured with an unusual bright pink. He held a fan in one hand, fanning himself as he studied Yasuo.

That was when he realized that he was the bard when he first entered the inn.

"Roshep," the man gestured to the innkeeper. "Tell Master Kendoz his gifts have proven very useful. The golems are... very responsive,"

Yasuo then looked at both his assailants. They were not humans but shaped like one. Their bodies were rock and mud, and marked on their heads were sigils, glowing as the golems breathed and awaited their master's response.

The innkeeper, named Roshep, grunted. He then exited the room, leaving the perfumed man and Yasuo alone.

"Don't try anything funny, love," he smiled at Yasuo, but he knew that he was threatening him. "I can have you snapped into two like a twig. Who sent you?"

"Sanzang... invited me," Yasuo croaked.

"Aren't you persistent? Do you take me for a fool, love? Everyone knew Sanzang died in the war with the Noxian scums. That old fool had so many enemies in Ionia, there are so many people who claimed that they slew him in single combat!"

"So tell me, love. Are you sent by the Elders?"

Yasuo could barely lift his head, but determined with the will to survive, he looked up at the bard, and stared him deep in the eyes. "Why would I be sent by the people who want me dead? Kill me if that satisfies you, I have nothing to lose after all. But do know that I'll slaughter my way out of this rathole even if I'm dead for sure,"

The bard made no move, but as if detecting the threat in his voice, the golems responded by grabbing Yasuo's shoulders and slamming him onto the floor. Yasuo gurgled, tasting blood in his mouth.

"These are wonderful creatures, don't you think?" the perfumed man praised, and patted the golems on their back. "I do not have to give a signal, and they act whenever they sense danger in the situation that their summoner is in. The perfect bodyguards," he reached down and lifted Yasuo's chin, looking him in the eyes. "Unlike these mercenaries who only wag their tails at the smell of money. Not even a trace of loyalty, or value,"

"I am _not_ a mercenary," Yasuo protested.

"But you said you have nothing to lose," the bard ran a finger down Yasuo's cheek. "Mercenaries have nothing to lose,"

"I'm here to seek the truth," Yasuo admitted. "I was told that I would be able to find it here, through whatever services you offer here,"

"How do I know you won't rat me out just to clear your name, whatever crime you may have committed?"

The warrior's gaze darkened. He spat onto his carpet, grinning as the bard's face coiled in disgust.

"I killed my own brother," Yasuo bared his bloodied teeth at the bard. At such a close distance, he could smell the strong fragrance that he wore. "They believe I murdered my own master in cold blood. There is no reprieve for a kinslayer like me,"

The perfumed bard's face hardened into stone, neither smiling nor wincing at the sight of Yasuo's hatred. It felt like eternity to him, until the bard waved his hand. Both golems reacted instantly, releasing their painful hold on Yasuo's back.

"My name is Goryo," the bard introduced himself. "And this is my _ssanghua-dian_. The man just now, Roshep, he is one of my many servants, and keeps a record of the contracts received from the clients and by the mercenaries.

"I will keep a close eye on you, _kinslayer_. You are only allowed to accept contracts that I will recommend to you through Roshep, and you will be paid accordingly if the contract is done nicely. You are allowed to use the services provided by the _ssanghua_ s under my premise, but do understand that if I ever detect a hint of suspicion on you, I'll dispose of you quick and quietly,"

 _Keep your friends close and your enemies closer,_ Yasuo thought. He understood why Goryo made that deal, and it only implied that he did not trust him completely.

"Hah," Yasuo shrugged his shoulders. "When do I start?"


	3. Chapter 3: The Ssanghua

**University life has been very hectic these few weeks. Enjoy!**

* * *

 **The Ssanghua**

The moment she entered the tavern in Gori, her face crunched in disgust. The smell of tobacco and wine was strong in the air, and her nose wrinkled slightly as the stench wafted through her nose. The raucous laughter and slamming of tables in the tavern meant that the guests obviously did not acknowledge her presence, and to that she was thankful.

She could feel her tails shiver slightly. Her pupils narrowed and dilated, her tongue tasting the rich scent of essence in the air. The fox pulled forward her cowl, suddenly self-conscious about her appearances. Although she knew that the illusion totem could conceal her ears and tails for a span of twelve hours a day, she worried that there may be some adept mages in the area, detecting the use of magic from her.

Quietly, she sat down at the counter of the bar, tapping her fingers twice and holding a gold piece in another hand – a trick she learnt from her latest victim who frequented this bar before he moved to another region, where he so unfortunately bumped into her. The tavern owner nodded, placed a steel tankard in front of her and poured ale to the brim, before taking the gold piece she held in her hand.

Her ears twitched slightly, and she listened to the conversations that went on around her.

"… you it's true. Goryo is back in business…"

"… the Golden Demon escaped again…"

"… heard the Blood Moon festival this year delayed because of the murders in Jyom pass…"

As she eavesdropped with ease, she took sips from her tankard. Thresh suddenly materialized next to her, leaning his back against the counter as ghostly green light illuminated her peripheral vision. His chain rattled slightly as he shifted in his seat, and the fox could clearly hear the moans of the damned in his accursed lantern. As much as she wanted to sneer at him, she kept a straight face without a struggle, knowing she was the only one in the bar who could see him.

"It has been a month, little fox," Thresh greeted.

She ignored him.

"Is it time to feast again? One of your tails is starting to wilt. Does it hurt like _hell_ , little fox? Or do you only feel it as an itch?" Thresh bombarded her with questions, even though he knew that she would never answer him. "Who will your victim be this time?"

As much as she wanted to slap the annoying demon away, she frowned upon the mention of her tail. A few days ago the fur on one of her tails started to fall, and it wasn't long before she felt that familiar sting of pain again – the kind where someone had spread poison on her tail, and the pain was agonizing.

It meant that it was time for her to take another human soul again, or else her tails would wither in an even faster rate, until she dies.

The door to the tavern suddenly slammed open, and the loud noise silenced everyone in the tavern. All eyes were on a drunken young man who stumbled his way into the tavern, holding a bottle of liquor as he spoke in a drunken slur.

She turned immediately and stared at the man. Thresh cocked his head amusingly. "Behind every drunk man is a sad tale of shattered romance,"

"Or perhaps he's just drunk," she whispered, loud enough for him to hear. Thresh grinned, _we'll see_ , he mouthed.

"To whom shall I give this lovely ring to?" he stumbled his way through the tavern, walking into empty chairs and tables. Others laughed at his sorry state, whereas some were disgusted by his pathetic behaviour.

"To whom, do I give these beautiful shoes to?" he took out a pair of shoes, and instantly drew everyone's attention. It was a magnificent pair, woven with threads of gold and silver amidst well-threaded silk. The ring on his finger was crafted in pure silver ingot, a piece of flawless garnet gleaming in its crust.

Thresh shot her a look of _I told you so_ , she growled at him to shut up and turned back to the drunken man.

The youth stumbled as he sat down in an empty corner, chugging from his bottle of liquor as people still looked. They weren't worried about the youth who seemed to be riddled with problems, but at his ring and shoes which he had thrown on the table, gleaming bright under the tavern's dim light.

Even the tavern owner was attracted by the goods. The little fox looked at everyone in the tavern, and noticed some men had slipped a shiv in their hand, obviously planning to rob him.

She finished her tankard of ale in one gulp and stood. Thresh widened his eyes. "What are you planning?"

She threw her tankard onto the floor. The sound drew everyone's attention. When they all looked at her, she had pulled back her cowl, and in her hand was an orb of spiritual energy, glowing bright pink and twirling above her palm.

She stared into all the eyes that were on her, and when they saw her orb they instantly fell into a trance. The youth was crying and mumbling, not giving a damn about her as she cast a charm upon every man in the tavern, except him.

" _You all did not see this man,_ " she spoke in perfect Ionian. " _And you all did not see me in this tavern at all,_ "

As her orb dimmed and disappeared, the men's eyes returned to normal. They resumed to what they did before – laughing at crude jokes and drinking ale, whereas the owner continued with his chores, suddenly forgetting the youth's entrance and the fox standing in the middle of the crowd.

She knew Thresh was watching her silently, and he would most likely joke about her choice of victims. But she ignored all consequences and walked towards the youth sitting in the corner.

When she sat down across from him, he did not seem perplexed.

"You are a mage," he said, acknowledging her presence. "Or maybe it's the alcohol muddling my mind,"

"I am more than that," she felt her fox ears twitch, but she knew the youth couldn't see them. "What is your name, young man?"

"Yeol," he answered. "And I suppose you are interested in these goods I have to give away?"

"More than that," she leaned forward and stared into his eyes. Yeol studied her, and she could tell he was fully awake despite the effects of the alcohol he consumed. "I wish to know your story, Yeol. You seem… broken-hearted,"

"A tragedy of my own making, my kind lady," Yeol lamented. "I have a wife, but I take everything for granted,"

Thresh moved closer to listen to Yeol's story as well. And she was surprised at how quiet Thresh had become.

"I am a sellsword and earned my fortune by fighting people's wars and battles," Yeol said. "I frequented this one place that should be forbidden on Ionian lands. Whoring, gambling, debauchery – it's all there. But it's a paradise for men like me to earn a living. Moments before my former master died, he released me from my contract and invited me to that place. _Live your life_ , that was what he said. And so I went because after his death, there was not much purpose for me in life anymore.

"For some time I accepted contracts and did odd jobs for clients all over Ionia. I've never touched a _ssanghua –_ I always thought they were a waste of coin, and I had always abstained myself from sexual desires, since I'd never had a woman in my arms. Until she came.

"She was a _ssanghua_ like everyone else, mind you. But it was her voice that took my breath away. The song she sang captured my soul, and the music she played left me in a trance. That girl had the sweetest voice I had ever heard, and it was then I recognised her beauty, and spent all the coin I had at the moment just to have a night with her.

"Despite being a _ssanghua_ , she was innocent in the arts of love. We both were, but that was the best night of my life, as I felt her reach the stars in my arms. I know I breached the rule when I held her until morning came, but she did not mind, and we made love again when the sun rose.

"When I woke again, she was gone, but she left me a satchet. I knew exactly what she meant, and I continued accepting jobs from Goryo. I worked hard, earned enough to outbid the others so that I would have her for the night. This continued for months, until I decided I wish to go further for our relationship.

"I told her that I would put down my sword and start learning the arts of commerce and trade, so that I can build a life for her and I outside. She agreed to follow me. And soon we realized our dreams. I earned enough during my sellsword days to build us a house. Everything seemed to go my way at first. It lasted a few months, at least,"

Yeol did not continue his story after that, but his body stayed still upon the seat. She waited for him to resume his story, and only when the silence continued for a very long while did she worry that he might have actually fallen asleep, until she heard him sniffling faintly.

Feeling sympathy for the man, she sighed. "You do not have to continue,"

"I don't wish to," Yeol croaked. "The memory is still painfully fresh in my mind,"

"What is it that you wish for, Yeol?"

He eventually looked up at her with a grim expression, his eyes reproachful but final. "I want to die," he said nonchalantly, and she knew that nothing can convince him otherwise. "There is nothing in this world that I can repent for my faults. If death allows a sliver of chance which I may reunite with her, then may the Gods forgive me,"

The fox pursed her lips. "And what if what comes after is just… nothingness? Afterlife may not be the paradise that most men imagine. Sometimes it's just pure oblivion,"

Yeol then looked up at her, and she noticed how handsome the youth was – onyx eyes the shape of almonds, his face structure strong and well-defined, and his lips were alluring. "Have you been there, my lady?"

"No,"

"Shame," he mumbled. "From what I see, I thought you were one of those creatures who could cross the borders between the material and divinity,"

She was taken aback, then recovered quickly. _This man is drunk,_ she reminded herself. "I am anything but divine,"

Yeol was quiet for some time, pondering her words. "Then can you grant me oblivion, my lady?"

She flashed her most dazzling smile. "I can ease your pain. Death does not have to be painful,"

"Perhaps a quick snap of my neck would end it quickly,"

"No," her eyes turned into a bright pink, and she lifted her cowl. Yeol looked into her eyes momentarily, and soon they turned into a same hue as hers. Her illusion lifted briefly, revealing her fox ears and the nine white tails that fluttered behind her, but in his eyes he only saw _her._

The woman he loved.

"I can give you more than that,"

" _Uuri_ ," his eyes widened in wonder, and she knew her charm worked. She had no idea how his lover may look, or sound like, but her charm always revealed her victim's greatest desire, lest when he saw her he would see the one thing he wanted the most.

Yeol's eyes glistened briefly, and she could see the love in those eyes. She smiled, and the youth's lips broke into a smile.

"It was all a bad dream," he whispered to himself. She heard it nonetheless, and she pitied the man. But only she could grant him the sweet oblivion he wanted so badly.

"It was," she lied. "You had a long day. You need to rest,"

"I've rested enough," Yeol shook his head. "Let me spend the rest of the night looking upon your face. God knows if I'll ever have the chance again,"

She kept quiet at the remark, but remained her sweet smile. The man stood, and wavered slightly in his steps. He held out his hand to her, and she took it, as he directed her to the nearest room in the tavern. The raucous crowd and the grouchy tavern owner behind them paid them no heed, but she swore to the heavens she heard Thresh cackling loudly behind her, as though mocking her empathy for the man.

* * *

 _Her previous victim was an abusive man, driven insane by his own greed and lust. She had spotted him drowned in debauchery, fondling any woman – old and young alike, as they swiveled past him quickly. She studied him from afar, and she had heard a lot about this man – that he had beaten whores to death while engaged in sexual activities._

 _And so she made her presence known. It was always easy to manipulate man who begins wagging his tail and sticking his tongue out excitedly at the sight of the opposite sex. It didn't take her much to charm him._

 _He had been very rough. Before she could take off her clothes when they were in a proper inn, he had grabbed her by her neck and held her down on the bed. She did nothing to convince him to slow down. He tore her clothes off, and exerted so much force that bruises were formed. He fucked her like a wild dog deprived of its mate for years, grunting and panting in shallow breaths as the bed shook violently beneath them. She submitted without a question, and despite the pain, she let him have his way with her._

 _He threw his head back, showing signs that he was close. The fox's eyes glowed in the candle-lit chamber. Unbeknownst to him, a small spark of energy came to life above her palm, sizzling and shaping itself into her essence orb._

 _And when he came, his eyes rolled back into his head. That was when she retaliated and grabbed the man by his throat by sheer force, forcing him into submission._

 _The abuser was shocked by her sudden surge of strength despite being choked. He opened his mouth wide and croaked pathetically, flabbergasted, just as the fox brought her orb close to his head. Her eyes flared blue for a second, and wisps of essence emerged from his mouth and wafted into hers. He drawled, stuck in between pleasure, oblivion and post-coital bliss._

 _Then the memories came._

 _Unlike her first experience, the memories that were drawn from her victims were pleasant ones. It showed their proudest and happiest moments, and only when her victims are shown a playback of their happiest time, would she be free from any pain and distraught from the experience. Apparently, this man was proud in the way he treated the girls he bedded – she saw chains and whips and cruel things in his bedroom, crosses and wooden horses, bloodstains upon beds and walls. And he never stayed in one region long, because he knew once he was caught his sentence would be life imprisonment, locked away deep beneath the dungeons where dark creatures dwelled and no prisoner could stay alive for long._

 _His last place before meeting her was a tavern in Gori, where he had accidentally choked a young whore to death. The memory of the place and whereabouts was imprinted deep into her mind, and soon she was brought back to reality._

 _The man dropped limp in her hand, his grip around her neck loosening. His eyes had turned dull, just as all her victims would. She could feel his member deflating within her womanhood, which she sighed, and threw the man off herself. The corpse fell to the floor with a soft thud._

 _She got out of the bed, watching as her illusion magic fell, revealing her fox ears and nine white tails. One of the tails had turned yellow and fur had begun falling a few days ago, but with the essence she obtained just now, white fur began sprouting from the tail, and it looked just as new._

 _Her life force had been restored. She stroked her tails mindlessly. She knew the demon was there._

 _"I understand now," Thresh revealed himself before her, landing a boot upon the corpse's chest._

 _"Took you long enough," she chided._

 _"If you draw your victim's essence when they are in a blissful and painless state, you absorb their most pleasant memories and experiences, and thus you're free from any pain. But if your victims die in torment, you absorb their fears instead, and what they feel at the moment of death passes onto you,"_

 _"I never forget a single memory," she admitted, putting on her robe and pulling the lifeless body onto the bed. She took out a knife and slashed the man across his wrist, spilling blood onto the bedsheets. Then she placed the knife in his other hand. "And I remember one hinting at how all men enjoy sex,"_

 _"Each time you obtain their memories, you learn more about human behavior," Thresh chuckled. "And being human is all about morality. Doesn't what you do tug on your moral conscience?"_

 _She refused to answer him. Thresh kept quiet after that, knowing she will never have an answer to the question._

 _"Just as foxes are," Thresh teased. "You are sly and cunning,"_

 _She sighed. "I can't stop you with your intentional voyeurism, Thresh. I can't tell if it's because you're truly interested in me, or it's the sex that you're interested in,"_

 _The fox climbed onto the window ledge, and left the tavern without another look back. She didn't see if Thresh followed her._

* * *

He held her with care, as though afraid that she would break like glass. Their faces were very close, and he kissed her all over – cheeks, neck, chest and belly. She felt as though she was cared for, and it wasn't long before she felt aroused as well, and it was a foreign emotion – one that she had never truly indulged in.

Most of her victims had never been so… gentle. Yeol worshipped her like a goddess, afraid that he would shatter her even though they both knew they were no longer maidens. She gasped when they joined, and she had wrapped her legs around him, locking him tight, worried that if she didn't hold him down he would evaporate into nothingness.

Their lips locked, tongues tied and teeth clicked. Hands roamed all over each other, legs intertwined and bodies joined. Their breaths rose and fell in unison and moans and groans mingled with each other into one voice; to the point where she couldn't tell whose voice belonged to whom, or how it all began or how it all ended. She had never felt like this before and to that she was grateful, letting the moment of bliss to overwhelm her.

It felt as though it lasted for eternity. And when he finally reached the peaks of pleasure, her hands were trembling. Energy sparked from her hands without her command as she threw her head back, mouth opened in a silent scream. Yeol gasped as well, and involuntarily, his life force was drained from his mouth. It led itself into her, allowing her to absorb the youth's lifestream, even though she did not will it.

And from there she watched everything – Yeol's happiest moment. But it surprised her when it was not what she imagined – a house built with his hands and a young girl by his side. No, it was different. She was brought into another place where the meanings of laws and order were twisted. Young women were brought there involuntarily or voluntarily, forced to sign a five-year contract where they must serve the clients and they will be given wage, food and shelter in return. She saw thugs as well, and a crowd of men in rich garment and rusty armour alike watching the stage, where a young woman – one of the servants – performed.

It then occurred to her that she was watching everything from Yeol's perspective, and this was his most pleasant memory – falling in love for the first time.

And the girl sang with the sweetest voice she had ever heard. She had the entire room in silence, everyone captivated by her melody. But it was not her voice that she was attracted to. The song, where had she heard it before?

She had heard it before. But she couldn't remember where. Was it a fragment of memory from her earlier victims? Or did she…

In the midst of her confusion, she was pulled back into reality. She gasped, and it broke the link between Yeol and her. Her orb winked out of existence, and the youth was free from her charms and magic. He gasped, still alive, though she knew that there was not enough essence left to last him even for minutes.

She watched him, waiting for his reaction. He fell onto her in exhaustion, his breaths in short pants. His hand accidentally touched her tail, and that was when she realized her illusion had broken during the intercourse. How it happened, she did not know.

"I know who you are," he whispered into her ear. "I was right, you could grant me the wish I wish for,"

"You should feel unfortunate to bump into me,"

"No," Yeol denied. "Thank you. You showed me the one memory I can never forget. At least now I know that memory will live on after I die, that you will cherish it and keep it alive for me. I am happy,"

"That place…" she muttered.

" _Ssanghua-dian_. The one and only surviving one in Tevasa. I should have known, Goryo wouldn't let it off so easily. He never forgets a single slight. He cares for his legacy greatly. The ssanghuas…" his voice grew weak. "You've heard the song before, have you not?"

"Perhaps," she admitted. "But I cannot recall,"

" _Ssanghwa-jyom,_ " he whispered for the last time, then his body went limp and he exhaled his last breath upon her cheek.

She lifted him carefully, then placed him on the bed. Oddly, she felt saddened by his passing. A lone tear shed from her eye, and she closed Yeol's eyes before pressing a kiss to his lips.

"Well that is fascinating,"

She frowned, her lips curled in utter irritation. "Shut up, Thresh,"

"I can't help it," the demon rattled his lantern. "It appears you already have a destination in mind,"

"I have," she dressed herself. "It appears I have been living my life with that one identity that I'm not aware of,"

"How can you ever compare yourself to them?" Thresh spoke in wonder. "They are just humans, their sinful souls ripe for harvest. Do you wish to live and mingle with them?"

"I have to see for myself," she faced Thresh. "The memories had led me from one place to another. I'm just doing what I have to do to stay alive,"

"I have a feeling you'll grow attached to that place," Thresh cackled.

"I don't know," she climbed onto the ledge of the window, prepared to leave. "I'll have to be a _ssanghua_ to find out," Without hesitation, she escaped into the night.


	4. Chapter 4: The Client

**The Client**

He did not know why, but the rice wine that day tasted a lot sweeter than usual.

"What have you done, kinslayer?" Goryo was at the bar, overseeing the operations of his _ssanghua-dian_ that day. He shook his head dramatically and played on a _qin_. "Now most of my clients only ask for the kinslayer, and most of the mercenaries here struggled looking for coin,"

Yasuo smirked, feeling a strong sense of pride with his accomplishment. It has been a month, and he had accepted more contracts than he could count. Everyday the first thing he would do when he entered Goryo's premise he would head to the tender, and run through the available contracts, looking through the names and identities of the benefactors. Whenever he accepted a job, he would be gone for days, and hardly returned until he had completed his job.

Yasuo never accepted jobs for the coin. He knew who his clients were – corrupted officials of the Ionian government, tycoons who had connections to the Elders, and illegitimate children of the higher-ups who had them hidden away from the public's eye to keep their reputation clean and proper. He needed access to the most powerful people in Ionia, just so he could have a chance to investigate the Noxian invasion.

But so far, he had hardly found a credible lead.

Yasuo sipped his rice wine. "And yet the clients have proven useless to my cause. They have connections to the government of Ionia, but most said they had zero influence on the Circle of Elders,"

"The Circle of Elders are chosen from the purest and most honest of lords and commanders," Goryo said. "No way would a corrupt worm their way into the Circle. Though perhaps there is one..."

Yasuo stared at him, prompting him to continue.

"Some of the bigger clients have asked for you," Goryo continued strumming. "They have interesting jobs. Jobs that would be a breeze for you –"

"If it involves assassinating someone just so they could obtain their power, I won't do it,"

"You're naïve, kinslayer," Goryo's voice rose. "You murdered your own blood. What's the difference of another man? Your honor is tainted as it is,"

"I will redeem myself in time. But not through even more bloodshed,"

"I'm afraid you'll never find the truth then," the bard sighed. "One of my benefactors identified himself to be the heir of Elder Seiryu,"

Goryo let that sink in. And Yasuo's brow furrowed. The bard smirked, knowing he had his attention.

"Mayhaps you've been fooled, Goryo," Yasuo whispered dangerously. "Why would the trueborn son of a significant figure of Ionia himself come to the secluded regions of Tevasa to whore and drink? He could be a spy, ready to pull out the remaining roots of Ionia's whoring trade,"

Goryo's smirk widened greatly. "That's where you're wrong, boy. I know each and every one of my guests. And I can assure you, Lord Daikyu remains my most honoured guest and generous benefactor to my _ssanghua-dian_. Like I tell you, it's not hard to corrupt a man full of desires,"

"My doubts remain, Goryo,"

"For now," the bard cocked his head, smiling at Yasuo smugly. "But not for long," he put down his _qin_ , and raised his chin towards a wealthy drunkard in one of the booths for his important guests. The man was partially disrobed, revealing his chest and belly. He held a mug in one hand, and one _ssanghua_ in the other, whereas three girls were draped over him obscenely. He whispered something to the girls, and they all giggled, no doubt humouring their clients' crude jokes.

Goryo's face remained smug, and that implored Yasuo to keep watching.

The man kept laughing, until his laughter turned into a coughing fit. He pushed aside a girl to take a swig of ale, hoping to wash down whatever he choked on. The _ssanghua_ s soon grew concerned, but he waved them off. "It's… it's nothing!"

Goryo then stood and approached the man. The _ssanghua_ s saw him, and terror soon seized their faces. They quickly dispersed, leaving their client who now knelt on the floor, still coughing while clutching at his throat, his face turning purple.

"Master Ii-sun," Goryo greeted. Roshep soon came to his side, holding a long vial of red fluid with him. "Are you feeling fine?" he asked, sarcasm dripping venomously from his words.

"Goryo!" Ii-sun fell onto his back. "What's… what's the meaning-"

"You tell me, m'lord," Goryo's face turned dark. "There's a whisper in the wind, and it's about you,"

Ii-sun's eyes widened immediately, upon realization of what he meant. "No. Goryo, you have to understand –"

"I understand that I have provided services that you so desire and this is my reward," Goryo took the vial, and was prepared to smash it on the ground. Ii-sun panicked, and threw himself to his feet.

"He-he threatened –," he gagged pathetically. "I had to tell him –"

"And to neutralize threats against me, I have to get rid of you as well,"

"I'll kill –" he gagged even more, gripping Goryo's knee tightly. "Promise! He dies – "

Goryo knelt down and grabbed him by his chin, forcing his mouth open. "You have two days. Show me his head,"

Ii-sun nodded frantically, tongue flailing out. His face had gone black now, until Goryo popped open the vial he held in his hand, and forced the contents into Ii-sun's throat.

The bard then slapped Ii-sun away, and the man just laid on the floor, gasping for air and wheezed when the antidote relieved his pain. All the while Yasuo sat, staring, with a mixture of horror and awe.

Goryo is a ruthless man.

"What was –"

"The Warlock's Breath," a man spoke beside Yasuo. He turned, shocked, and saw a bald mercenary beside him dressed in pale leather armor. "That's what I heard from the girls. In reality it's just magically brewed poppy wine, least that's what my master told me. See the vial Goryo forced into his throat? That the antidote, and everyone has a different antidote, and they won't know which one's theirs even if they broke into Goryo's vault,"

"He poisons them?"

"Nay," the bald man sipped from his mug. "Just that Goryo knows how to choose his benefactors. When a benefactor expresses his wish to join the _ssanghua-dian,_ Goryo carries out a ritual. The benefactor ingests a dose of the wine, and it stays in them forever. This is to make them swear that they would never betray Goryo and blow their mouths 'bout the _ssanghua-dian_ ,"

"What did Ii-sun do?"

"From what I heard from my master," the mercenary hacked a glob of phlegm and spat onto the floor. "That whoreson was threatened by his own brother, and had to tell him 'bout where he went. Last mistake. Goryo has eyes and ears all over Ionia. I don't know how, but his reputation makes sure not even the mercs can sell him out,"

"That's why he doesn't make us go through the ritual?"

"You shitting me?" the mercenary snorted. "Why would he waste 'em on us? We's nothing, just shit that he won't even bother cleaning. Who would believe us anyway? We need him more than he needs us, he could just hire assassins and slaughter us in our sleep,"

"No mercs ever get out of his clutches before?"

"Those cunts can try," he lit a roll of weed, and offered one to Yasuo. Yasuo politely declined. "Goryo's gonna sniff them out anyway. Once we come here we are bound to this place till death. Goryo's putting fancy dreams in your head if he says you can leave in one piece,"

"Damn," Yasuo cursed under his breath.

"Name's Hyo-Je. Property of Master Xia-Ning, 13th son of Elder Xia-Yue,"

"Yasuo," he introduced.

Hyo-Je then fixed his cold stare at him, but Yasuo could not tell from his expression whether it was awe or hatred.

"So it was you," he mumbled. "Hogging all those contracts to yourself?"

"It isn't my fault if the contract issuers asked for my help solely,"

"Yes it is," Hyo-Je loomed dangerously close. Yasuo's hand instinctively went to his hip, then remembered weapons were not allowed in the _ssanghua-dian_. "Other people still got mouths to feed, and you have them coin all to yourself,"

The smoke from his joint wafted through Yasuo's nostrils, and he restrained himself from coughing. "You're going to pick a fight here? In Goryo's premises?"

Hyo-Je held the joint in between two fingers, tapping it with his index and watched ashes falling to the floor. Some of it got onto Yasuo's breeches. "Nonetheless you're still a rookie. And I don't fight with rookies. Be smart, Yasuo. The mercs aren't happy that you took all their jobs,"

With that Hyo-Je tapped his mug and left a few coins in the mug, then stood. Yasuo spat. "It isn't _my_ fault," he stressed.

"That's what you think. Everyone else thinks otherwise. Now I'm gonna fuck the brains out of one of these girls," with that, Hyo-Je left, leaving Yasuo alone with his wine.

He shook his head in an exasperated manner, then pondered about the things that transpired that evening. Suddenly he was interested about Goryo's job offer earlier, from one of his self-proclaimed loyal benefactors.

* * *

Yasuo decided it was better for him to lay low, and so he only took on minor jobs for two weeks – collecting debts from a group of peasants who refused to pay, or retrieving an illegal shipment and escorting the cargo to safety.

And for two weeks, Goryo remained persistent.

Whenever Yasuo was in the _ssanghua-dian_ drinking, the perfumed bard would come close to him and sit next to him, always telling him the same words.

"The job is still available, kinslayer,"

"You can always earn Lord Daikyu's favour to cleanse your name,"

"This is no simple contract, and it's only fit for someone your skills,"

And he rejected him every time.

When Yasuo saw him walking over to him one dusk, he already knew what to say. But when the bard plopped himself right beside him, and began fanning himself furiously with a paper fan and began to tut to himself, Yasuo decided to remain silent, wondering what he was about to say.

"What do you want?" Yasuo snorted rudely.

"Are you a virgin, Yasuo?"

He was so taken aback he almost bit his tongue.

"I must say," the bard sighed, his tone full of pretentious forlornness. "My girls are chosen after I have personally seen them in the act, and what I hear from the clients is that these girls are nonetheless skilled, talented and beautiful. No mercenaries had been able to resist them,"

Yasuo grimaced. "What's your point?"

"As much as you enjoyed mercenary work, it saddens me to see that you have not tried other services as well,"

"I drink your mead, entertain your benefactors' wishes. Is that not enough?"

"Not that I'm complaining, but the _ssanghuas_ are quite curious what kind of man you are,"

He rapped his knuckles on the table impatiently. "First you insist that I should take on a lord's request to murder someone, and now you're trying to talk me into fucking one of your slave-girls,"

Goryo's eyes widened and covered his mouth with his fan, faking a gasp as he pretended to be aghast. "Mind you, these are not slave-girls. But _ssanghuas_ , and they are sweeter than any other _whores_ you may get in the whole of Ionia,"

"I do not have time to indulge in these lordly pleasantries,"

"Does your code of honour include rules on absolute celibacy as well?" Goryo mused. "And now that you remind me…"

Yasuo groaned.

"… if only you would take a minute and listen to what this job is all about, I'll leave you alone after this,"

"I told you, I won't murder a man for a lord's benefits, or joy, if rumours about Lord Daikyu's reputation is to be believed,"

"It's not a man," Goryo placed his fan on the table, and steepled his fingers together. "And it's not murder either,"

Yasuo looked at him oddly, and Goryo smirked, knowing he had his attention.

The bard leaned in, and whispered, so only both of them could hear. "There has been mysterious deaths lately. The royal and the venal alike, highborn and lowlife, and it happens in a pattern. Like once every month.

"A man would die naked in a bed in a tavern, or in his own house, or anywhere secluded. Autopsies had proven that these men died during an intercourse, or after. At first they were just left on the bed, tangled in sheets and blankets. But recently, the murderer got smart, and placed objects around the room in such a way to represent a suicide,"

Yasuo took a sip. "Let me guess – a vindictive prostitute?"

"No one knows," Goryo shook his head. "They detected magic residue in the air, illusions must have been used, either on the victims or the murderer, no one knows. What they all know is that the victim has no idea what's coming for him, and he had at least climaxed when he died,"

"Very useful information," Yasuo said, his voice dripping with obvious sarcasm. "And if so many men had fallen victim, how come it hasn't been the talk of the town?"

"Lord Daikyu covered up the deaths. He bought the heralds and medical officers and told them to be quiet about it, so he could investigate it on his own,"

"Why the sudden interests in keeping the streets safe?"

"The son of Elder Seiryu is a cruel and cunning man," Goryo explained. "He wants the murderer captured, alive, mind you. So this job is not about murdering people,"

"And what would he do with him, or her, for this case?"

Goryo grinned from ear to ear. "I'll give you all the details, once you accept the job,"

Yasuo scoffed. "You think I would accept the contract just because I'm curious of what he would do with the killer?"

"I'm not giving up on my chances,"

"Why ask me in particular?" Yasuo wondered. "There are many mercenaries here desperate for a heavy sack of coin,"

"Lord Daikyu wishes for someone with a complete sense of secrecy, and would never sell him out, whatever the costs. Your name is so tainted that you've been erased from existence, no one will know your name or cry for you if you were to die. No one would believe the words of a kinslayer, even if he uttered the truth. To me, you are the perfect candidate,"

"And what do I gain out of this?"

"Information," the bard stressed. "Remember that Elder Seiryu is the Minister of Warfare and Safety of Ionia. He is put in charge of hidden records of highly wanted criminals, and also the only person to have access to the deepest dungeon of the Pyunwoo Cells. Lord Daikyu is not your average degenerate son of a tycoon. He's a shrewd man, and he invests in affairs that would only benefit him for now and the future,"

"You ask me to trust the words of a cunning man,"

"I ask you to be intelligent enough to let him trust you, so you may bargain your reward with him. Rewards don't necessarily have to be gold or women,"

That gave Yasuo some thought. He pondered his words, and realized what he said weighed truth.

Goryo smirked, knowing that he was considering it. He snapped his fan close, and stood from his chair. "Give it some thought, Yasuo. Lord Daikyu does not forget the face of the man who helps him greatly," With that, he left the bar, while Yasuo finished his ale.

Just before he could leave, there were cat-callings and whistles around him. He knew what's going on, that it happened once every two weeks. _The auction_ , they called it. But this was no simple auction of slaves or valuable goods, but that of the _ssanghuas_ , where each girl were to go on stage with their assets and face covered save the eyes and hair. Each _ssanghua_ will choose an instrument of her choice, and perform a song to serenade the audience. The benefactors would sit in booths, the closest to the stage, whereas the ones with a lower status and mercenaries would be at the farmost behind, some standing on their toes to see the girls sing on stage.

Once the _ssanghua_ is done performing, the benefactors, or the mercenaries (if they are rich enough) would begin bidding. The one with highest bid would have the _ssanghua_ for the night, successfully becoming her client for one whole night.

The first _ssanghua_ went on stage. Yasuo watched, interested. She carried a lute, a red shawl covering the lower half of her face and her body wrapped in long linen cloth. Her hair was a rich chestnut brown, with large doe eyes that caught the dim light of the _ssanghua-dian_ , sparkling whenever she looked shyly at the audience.

Everyone sighed. And the girl began to sing.

"Sweet eyes, that one," Hyo-Je's voice rumbled, catching Yasuo off guard. "But I bet Lord Kaien had his eyes on her. It's always the same girl for him,"

"It's the same batch of _ssanghuas_ for every auction?" Yasuo asked out of curiosity. Hyo-Je shook his head.

"Nay, sometimes Goryo got newcomers, maybe we'll see someone different today,"

Just after the _ssanghua_ stopped singing, the benefactors began to ring their respective bells, calling out different amounts. The auctioneer – a short man dressed in flamboyant colours, shouted out the highest bid amounts. The mercenaries behind sighed in defeat and shook their heads, knowing they would never have enough gold to bid against the wealthy lords or sons of lords, hence they only looked away or stared at the _ssanghua_ enviously.

It was all over when Lord Kaien shouted the highest amount, and the auctioneer sounded the gong, signifying the girl was his for the night.

Then next came a Shuriman girl, with hair as black as night and almond-shaped eyes. The audience was silent when she appeared on stage, obviously the Ionians were not interested in a foreign beauty. She held a drum, the least graceful instrument she could find, and began playing and singing.

"Will the audience ever bid for her?" Yasuo mumbled to himself.

"Unlikely," Hyo-Je shrugged. "When she first came by, Goryo named her Ondari. Since she's from Shurima, I doubt she understood what the name meant,"

Yasuo laughed.

And just as Hyo-Je said, not many people bid for the _ssanghua_. The benefactors did not bother to place an amount, whereas the mercenaries started bidding, and soon she was given to a mercenary with a bid of 450 gold.

Then the third _ssanghua_ came on stage, and when she made her presence known, the buzz beneath the stage had gone quiet. It was a different version of silence, compared to the one earlier which reeked of pure mockery, but this one was born out of curiosity, bafflement, and a strange sense of wonder.

Her beauty was a rare one, and obvious enough that not even the modesty of the dark coloured shawl and linen cloth could hide it. Her hair was oiled and well-braided, flowing down her back, black enough to reflect the lights of the candles. Her fringes were free, wild, yet there was an odd sense of perfection that Yasuo could not place, as though the imperfection was what complimented her perfection. Her skin, milky and pale and smooth, free of hair, just like any standard Ionian beauty. Her eyes were closed, but when she opened them, everyone released a breath of awe at the same time, their eyes fixed upon the _ssanghua,_ mouths hanging wide open like a gaping fish. Her eyes – green mixed with drops of yellow, lidded with elegantly curled eyelashes, topped with arched, shapely eyebrows. The accents and contours of her curves only made her more alluring and seductive, if not the eyes that reflected every man's strongest desire.

Even he must admit, this was the most stunning creature he had ever laid his eyes on, even though she was concealed completely to hide her beauty for the richest man to afford her.

Yasuo leaned closer to Hyo-Je, whose eyes were unblinking, still staring as though the goddess herself had descended upon the earth. "Who is she?" He nudged Hyo-Je, bringing him out of his bewilderedness.

Hyo-Je blinked, confused. "Never seen her before. I think she's new, and Goryo got himself a truly dazzling one,"

The _ssanghua_ held a _qum,_ the heavy instrument laid upon the stage as she knelt down before it, both her legs folded elegantly as she sat on her knees, her hands laid neatly in her lap. Her eyes stayed on the instrument – not even once, did she look at the audience, and when her fingers danced across the taut strings, strumming a single ghosted note, the whole world drew in its breath, awaiting.

When she sang, it was the most beautiful voice he had ever heard.

" _I've gone to the temple to light a blessing,_

 _But the monk grabbed ahold of me,_ "

Suddenly Yasuo stopped breathing, and he swore he felt his heart stop.

" _And so I had no choice,_

 _but to sleep and serve and plea,"_

The world around him did not matter, the _ssanghua-dian_ suddenly seemed merely an illusion, and Goryo, Lord Daikyu and Hyo-Je were ceased to exist.

 _"If word got out about this,_

 _It would surely be my fault,"_

At that moment, he saw, heard and felt only her – the girl on the stage, covered everywhere except her eyes and forehead, playing an instrument and singing a melancholic ballad that only one other person he had known to have known it. A lone tear began to fall, unbeknownst to him.

" _So to whom do I confess my sins to?_ "

"To whom do I confess my sins to?" Yasuo whispered the last line of the _Ssanghua-jyom,_ his eyes still unable to leave hers.

He was brought back to the world he was in when the bidding began, signalled by the loud ring of a single bell. They all looked to who rang the bell, and it was none other than Lord Sa-Baek, whose menacing looks and fidgety hands made him the least favorable client among the _ssanghua_. He placed a high price immediately, yelling "1500 gold!"

The audience buzzed. Yasuo watched the crowd, noticing some of the mercenaries looking away again, knowing they had to pass this one on as well. Some of the benefactors seemed troubled as well, since Lord Sa-Baek had started the bid with a rather high price, and none seemed to be willing to top it off.

The auctioneer tapped the gong lightly once. At the third hit, the _ssanghua_ would belong to Lord Sa-Baek.

Until a ring of the bell caused the auctioneer to put down the brass drumstick.

"1750 gold!" Lord Do-Baek, the younger brother of Lord Sa-Baek exclaimed, shooting cunning glances at his brother.

Lord Sa-Baek's lips curled in dismay, but without hesitation he rang his bell again. "2000!"

"2150!" Lord Do-Baek challenged once again. His elder brother glared at him, obviously annoyed, but he did not make any gesture to ring the bell again, his fingers angrily rapping on the table.

"The Baek siblings, always with their mindless squabbling -" Hyo-Je laughed, then looked to Yasuo and his smile died when he saw what he was doing. "What are you thinking?"

Yasuo laid all the gold he had on the table, counting them as quick as he could. "Making a bid," he explained hurriedly to Hyo-Je, still counting the gold he had.

"2200!" Sa-Baek continued to bid.

"I heard that you took on plenty of contracts, but to have this crazy amount of gold? And you would waste it all on a _ssanghua_?" Hyo-Je exclaimed, staring at him incredulously. "And no one here dares irk the ire of the Baek siblings. There are other _ssanghua_ s,"

"Allow me some guilty pleasure, Hyo-Je, as long as I had been here, I had never used Goryo's other services," Yasuo counted the last gold, grabbed his metal tankard and brought it down three times upon the wooden table, creating a sound loud enough to draw everyone's attention. The auctioneer's brass stick held suspended before the gong, and he glared at Yasuo, irritated, no doubt thinking him intentional to disrupt the auction.

"2300 gold!" Yasuo shouted at the top of his lungs. The audience gasped. Goryo's eyes widened slightly, then smirked to himself, watching as the events transpired.

The Baek siblings both stared at him, their faces morphed from pure shock to frustration then disgust. Lord Do-Baek threw up his arms in defeat, and yelled "I'm not wasting half of my fortune on this whore! Take this one as you like, brother!", right before he stood up and left the auction.

Refusing to lose to a lowly mercenary, Lord Sa-Baek rang the bell again. "2350 gold!"

Yasuo merely smirked, then hit his tankard. "2500 gold,"

The audience talked amongst themselves. Even the auctioneer seemed shocked, and looked at Goryo while raising his brows. Goryo only smiled, gesturing to the auctioneer to continue. Never had they ever seen a mercenary bid this highly on a _ssanghua._

The noise died when Sa-Baek rang his bell again.

" _3000 gold!_ "

The audience erupted in gasps and shouts. That was the highest bid ever made in the history of the _ssanghua-dian_.

Yasuo's smug grin died, and he saw Sa-Baek smiling arrogantly at him. The auctioneer tapped the brass stick lightly on the gong once, twice, then pulled back and slammed the gong loudly for the third time, and the deal was made. The _ssanghua_ now had a client, but it was not Yasuo.

A round of applause drowned out Sa-Baek's raucous laughter. Yasuo looked down in shame. Hyo-Je only slapped him lightly on the shoulder. "Well at least you get to keep your gold,"

Yasuo shook his head, then ordered another drink. He drank himself to oblivion, unable to fathom what happened. He remembered getting up and stumbling around until he fell onto something soft, then gave in to the lure of sleep.

In his dreams, he saw many things. His brother was playing the _qum,_ singing the _Ssanghua-jyom_ , over and over again. He had forgotten his face. In his mind Yone's face was a slurred image, as though a reflection of a puddle of water but continuously disrupted by ripples. He went closer, hands out, wanting to reach for him, but every time he went close enough, Yone disappeared.

In Yone's place was the girl. The _ssanghua_. The one who reminded him how the tune went, the only remnant of his brother left in his memory.

Yasuo jolted awake, and found himself in a chamber laying against a mountain of soft pillows. He mumbled and blinked the sleep out of his eyes, feeling completely disoriented. Wiping the drool from his lips, he looked down, and found himself in a complete disarray. A pounding headache hit him as he rose, and he rubbed his head, thinking. _I drank too much._

The moment he saw who else was in the chamber, he was wide awake. His headache, gone, in an instant.

On the bed was a man completely nude, the sheets completely soaked with blood and other bodily fluids. His eyes were opened, but dead, and his mouth hanged open, while a red, bloody smile was seen across his neck.

It took him a while, but he recognized him. Lord Sa-Baek. The _ssanghua_ he had was nowhere to be seen.

Yasuo looked down at his hand. A bloody blade. He hadn't realized he had held it, until he looked down.

Right at that moment, the door opened. "Are you done with your fantasies, brother-"

Lord Do-Baek stared at the bed, shocked and deprived of words as he saw his brother dead. Then he looked to where Yasuo sat, still trying to grasp what was happening.

When his gaze fell to the knife in his hand, Yasuo felt nothing. Nothing, but a huge sense of dread gripping him.


	5. Chapter 5: The Murderer

**The Murderer**

"You are very good with the instrument, little fox," Thresh mumbled, sitting next to her as she plucked at the strings of the wooden musical instrument. Notes were played, the _qum_ sang of sweetness, while she rummaged through her memory to remember the song she had found amidst Yeol's memories. She couldn't say she enjoyed Thresh's company that evening, but he was strangely tranquil at that moment. It was as though the music had a serene effect on him, even a demon like him.

"It's a _qum_ ," she answered. Thresh nodded amusingly, leaning back against the wall of the solitary chamber that was given to her by the fat, perfumed man who referred to himself as Goryo. He had smiled when she offered herself to his service, still wearing the illusion that concealed her true form. But right now, behind locked doors, she allowed the magic wear off, just so the cooldown would be done by the time she needed it the most.

 _The chamber given to a_ ssanghua, she pondered, looking around the room. There was a solitary bed and a dresser to allow the _ssanghuas_ to look presentable to the clients. It was small, barely enough to house two people, but she had no intention to stay there for long.

"How are you going to pull this off, little fox?" Thresh mused. "After you're done taking the essence of a client, you have to flee, don't you? Or else that fat man would suspect you instantly,"

"We'll see," she continued strumming the _qum_. "Of course I do not intend to leech everything from one man. There are many sources here. Besides, men are fickle-minded after all. He doesn't look smart to me,"

Thresh cackled at her arrogance. "You've blended yourself well with the humans. You've even adopted their ego,"

"I'm merely stating what's on my mind,"

Thresh only laughed even louder. If human ears could hear him, the whole _ssanghua-dian_ would have been alerted by now.

"That's what they do. State what's on their mind. It's what gets them killed all the time, little fox. Or should I refer you as the name the fat man had given you? That _mundane_ name reserved for whores?"

Her eye twitched and she bit her lip. Thresh was teasing her again.

 _I have no doubts the clients will be in love with your charms. But once you're a servant of my premises, you are to abide by the rules unless I say otherwise. And every_ ssanghua _is given a new identity, a new name. Your previous life does not matter anymore, understand? If you serve the clients well, I'll see to it that you live the remainders of your life in luxury._

She had nodded.

 _Good_ , the bard reached down and tied a brace carved with a name to her ankle, the mark of his property. _From now on, you'll be called Ahri_.

* * *

She had seen the stage through Yeol's eye, but she did not expect it to be this huge. Her hand went to her chest, feeling her heart hammering deep inside, struggling hard to break free from her ribs. Her stomach fluttered, and she knew her anxiety was strong enough to be sniffed out by Thresh.

She silently grumbled when a green, eerie glow appeared behind her, followed by the deep chuckle of an irritating demon.

"You're nervous," Thresh leaned close to her ear and whispered. "And you're not socializing,"

She whispered harshly under her breath. "Shut up, Thresh. And leave me alone," She knew the other _ssanghuas_ can't tell that her lips were moving since her entire body was covered by linen clothing, but she could see them staring and gossiping behind her. The girls didn't like her. They thought she couldn't hear them, and they only spat insults in her way whenever she passed by, their voices dripped with obvious envy and jealousy.

"Does it not bother you, that they hate and despise you without knowing you?"

"I am not here to make acquaintances,"

The music stopped. And she knew she was next to go on stage to perform. Her fingers trembled out of anxiety, then she steeled herself, curling her fingers into a fist as she moved away from the backstage, towards the stage where everyone would be watching.

She felt her ears twitch. For one second she was worried that her illusion may wear off for no reason. Accidents do happen. She held the _qum_ with both hands, and for a few moments she was blinded by the bright lights of the _ssanghua-dian_.

When it all cleared, she saw the audience. The wealthy and the nobly-dressed ones all sat in booths right before the stage, and she could see their judgmental stares, eyes darting up and down her body, no doubt contemplating how much she was worth. The ones that were behind, however, were simply thugs – dressed in ragged leather and rusted steel.

 _Fear is weakness,_ she told herself. The little fox swallowed hard. _I am higher than these mundane creatures. They are nothing compared to me_. _I am no longer the white fox that run through the woods, fearing men who are bigger and taller than me. I am..._

 _Who am I?_

Knowing the world was waiting for her, she pushed everything into the back of her mind. She focused what was more important - the present. With a hardened resolve, she laid down on the stage, placing her musical instrument before her which she would use to serenade the guests below. Her eyes kept darting back and forth, looking from one face to another. She couldn't help but wonder, are they all the same? Lustful and overwhelming with greed?

Controlling herself, she looked down at the _qum_. She focused on her voice, on her instrument. Their opinions on her did not matter. _A creature of magic and divinity does not concern itself with the opinions of those lowlier than dirt._ Without hesitation she played the first note, and began to sing.

And she knew from the moment she began to sing, she had nothing to fear. She could feel and hear their sighs as she sang the song heard through Yeol's ears, striking every note and tune and pitch with doubtless perfection. Somehow she knew it wasn't the beauty of the melody nor the meaning of the lyrics that captivated these men's hearts, but her voice and her grace. With that she grew confident, and continued playing until the end of the song.

But she couldn't help but feel someone's intense gaze upon her. Her fingers almost twitched, had she not been focused. And so she risked an upward glance and studied the crowd, and met a man's eyes from far across the _ssanghua-dian_.

A mercenary was staring at her wide-eyed. Was it awe, or wonder that she saw, or was it something else entirely? Perhaps fear, because he could see what she truly was? She could not understand that expression, and noticed something glistening in his eye. Was that a tear?

A man yelled loudly, and she snapped her eyes away from the mercenary for a moment. She guessed this was where the bidding began, where a client would offer the highest amount for a night with her. She watched as two men kept raising the amounts, challenging the other to prove their wealth, until the mercenary started to call out an amount as well.

She was shocked, then understood immediately. He had just completely fallen for her voice after all, and with that she heaved a sigh of relief.

Soon it was all over, and it wasn't the mercenary who would have her for the night.

* * *

Goryo had taught her this. The ways of the _ssanghua_ – which was to submit to her client completely without complaint, and entertain him until he gets his money's worth. To be subjected to his pleasure, no matter how painful or how dangerous it may be. She had wanted to ask if there were any unfortunate _ssanghua_ that was seriously injured, or died, while serving a client, but she then kept her mouth shut, seeing how submissive the other girls were around the perfumed bard.

It was the only thing she was sure of ever since stepping into the _ssanghua-dian_ , that the girls had no position here, and could only dream of the golden promises Goryo had whispered to them.

The door to the chamber closed with a soft thud.

"Girl," Lord Sa-Baek called out. She lowered her head and clasped her hands at her front. _Ssanghuas must never meet the eyes of their clients, unless ordered._ "What is your name?" he sat on the edge of the bed and lit a joint. _Yah-pian_ , or simply called the _rich man's drug_ , she remembered from the memories of one of her victims. Sa-Baek did not bother to look at her, and took a long drawl from the joint.

She lowered her head even more, and pretended to be scared. "This one is called Ahri, m'lord,"

"Ahri," he pronounced her name, weighing it, tasting it with his lips. He tapped the remains of the joint in a tray by the bedside, then walked towards her. He lifted her chin and she was forced to look at his face – fierce eyes and unsmiling lips, strong cheekbones and a cruel, set jaw. His other hand then went to the shawl that covered the lower half of her face. Slowly he removed it.

The shawl dropped at her feet. Sa-Baek's eyes studied every detail of her face, but his eyes were hard to read. Suddenly, she felt a thrum in the air, a mild vibration that was sent down her spine as though there was an unknown disturbance in the air. Was he satisfied with her, or was he planning something that she had not learnt from the memories yet?

"Is this your first time, Ahri?"

She didn't really understand his question. Thinking quickly, she replied: "No, m'lord. But it is my first time serving a noble client with your status,"

Sa-Baek withdrew his hand and went to the bed, loosening the laces of his robes to undress. "Remove your clothes, Ahri,"

She hastily disrobed, leaving her clothes at her feet. She undid her hair, and beautiful black locks of hair cascaded down her bare shoulders. Her tails and ears bristled slightly, and she knew she was nervous, even though she was well-assured that the illusion concealed them well.

Still, she couldn't help the chill that kept running down her bare body. Perhaps the weather was just cold?

When Sa-Baek was as nude as her, he withdrew a dagger from his robes. She shuddered at the sight of the blade – the hilt was the shape of a dragon's mouth, and the blade was green and curved. When he turned towards her, she swiftly returned her gaze to the floor. But it was too late. He knew she saw the dagger.

"Goryo is more lenient when it comes to searching the benefactors, and I have to bring this dagger with me somehow," he explained, leaving the dagger by the bedside table. "Have you heard of Akh-dang steel, Ahri?"

"No, m'lord,"

"It's the only metal in this world that nullifies magic, if touched. The Baek family is the only household with the formula to the secrets of the Akh-dang steel. Mages and spellswords were sent to topple my family business by assassinating my grandfather, but the moment the steel touches them, it leaves them useless,"

She bit her lips. Her fingers started shaking on its own, but she clenched them tightly. She couldn't afford to raise suspicions now.

"Father gave me this dagger when I was a child, and I've kept it with me ever since. I believe it wards off evil spirits too," Sa-Baek then turned to her, offering a cold smile. "You wouldn't blow your mouth to Goryo, would you?"

"N-no, m'lord,"

"Don't worry," Sa-Baek's grin grew wider, and she forced herself to look away from him. "I won't cut you, not unless you're disobedient,"

Her eyes drew to the dagger again. The blankets rustled for a moment, and Sa-Baek laid on the bed. She followed him, climbing onto the bed. Before she could ask how she may service her client, Sa-Baek grabbed her roughly by the neck. Then all of a sudden she was below and he was on top.

She was used to roughness, but for the first time ever, she was afraid. This man could hurt her with that accursed dagger, and she could feel herself trembling out of fear. She let the man have his way with her, waiting for that one moment where she could reveal herself. She knew she had to be quick, that if she faltered for a moment, he may realize what she truly was.

She waited. She panted and whimpered just as he wanted. But that moment never came.

"Truly a beauty," he said in between pants, riding her as he pressed her face to the pillow. She endured it – the humiliation, the pain, and her insides boiling with fear and hatred. He took her like an animal, like she was nothing but a plaything for noble lords like him. It wasn't her first time with a rough man like him, but Sa-Baek was different. While others had been desperate and mad with lust, Sa-Baek simply did it as though it was his hobby. There was something about it that she hated, that he treated the _ssanghua_ like nothing but objects.

"I am close," he huffed. "Say my name," he grabbed her hair and pressed her face even further into the pillow. She grunted silently, as she could barely see anything. She heard the _clung_ of a metal, but quickly dismissed it as she gathered her energy within her, ready to sap the essence of this man.

She felt it inside her, and slowly drew his life essence. The darkness before her eyes were gone, and she saw the memories of Lord Sa-Baek playing before her, strengthening her.

And suddenly she was plunged into darkness again, her source cut off. She yelped when she felt a sharp sting in her back. Then her blood boiled and burnt, as though tainted by poison.

She risked a glance behind. Cold sweat lined her forehead. Sa-Baek was still panting but in his hand was his dagger, the tip held close to her back, drawing blood. His face was pale and cold with sweat, his eyes cloudy and lined with fatigue. But he glared at her with mad eyes "Know this, Ahri. That when another client claims you, he'll see this and know he's fucking another property of Lord Sa-Baek," his hand shook slightly, but gripping the dagger tightly, he brought it down upon her flesh again.

She panicked and reached out with her hand to grab his wrist. His eyes flared with anger upon her resistance, and he forcefully pried away her fingers from his wrist.

"Please, m'lord. You said you wouldn't cut me –"

"Be still, or I'll carve that pretty face of yours,"

The wound stung horribly. Her body shivered violently. Mustering her strength, she tried to charm Sa-Baek, to hypnotise him before he could harm her further.

When she looked into his eyes, however, he was not in a trance. Instead, they were wide with horror.

"You," his lips trembled pathetically. "You are a demon,"

She looked down and she could see her nine white tails. Dread locked her heart in a cage, while her stomach felt like a bottomless pit. Her illusion had been dispelled.

Afeared, Sa-Baek brought down his dagger again, not to hurt but to kill. She rolled to the edge of the bed, and the dagger barely missed her. He drew it back again, grabbed one of her tails to keep her from escaping, and with a horrendous cry he thrust it towards her neck. With stunning speed, she reached out to stop the blade with her bare hands.

And it was the worst mistake she had ever made.

Her hands burnt with an excruciating pain as blood were spilt upon the bed. She screamed.

Before Sa-Baek could stab her again, she grabbed his wrist with her bloody hands and quickly slashed his neck. It was all over in the split of a second. Sa-Baek gurgled as blood flowed profusely down the gash, his eyes wide and darting around the room, as though pleading for help. But he found none.

She flicked his wrist away fearfully. The vile dagger flew out of his hand and skidded a few feet away. staining the wooden floor. Sa-Baek laid on the bed, blood beginning to stain the sheets. His eyes stared at the roof of the chamber, dead and fixed in a horrified glance. She still trembled violently – the wounds on her back still burnt. Frantically, she snatched the red robe she wore earlier from the floor, wrapping it around her nude body tightly.

She lifted her palm and tried to conjure her orb. Nothing came to her call. The effects of the dagger was still strong. Cursing silently, she dragged herself across the floor.

"Thresh," she called out, but knew it was in vain. There was a reason why he had not appeared ever since she was alone with Sa-Baek.

Her magic was nullified, but her senses were still keen. Leaning her ear against the door, she listened for any footsteps or other sounds. Nothing.

She glanced at the sandclock on the table. There was still time. She had to get out of there, quickly. But there was no way she could get out of the _ssanghua-dian_ through the front door.

Twisting the doorknob, she snuck outside quietly. There was no one in the corridor – it had been late after all, and it was the hour where most of the clients would be spending time with the _ssanghuas_ , or drunk at the bar. She tried to stand, but the effort had a great strain on her strength.

 _Think,_ she told herself repeatedly in her mind, ignoring the pain or the fact that her wounds were still bleeding. Blood dripped on the floor, sizzled and vapourized into thin air, leaving no other trace upon the corridor.

She hid behind a wall around the walkway that separated the bar and the _ssanghuas'_ chambers. She focused and listened for any human voices. Sometimes mercenaries stayed up late at night talking and drinking, even after the _ssanghua-dian_ had gone to sleep. She risked a glance around the wall, and thanked the gods silently when she saw most of the mercenaries passed out. Her attention, however, was drawn to a particular man alone at the bar, clutching an empty bottle in his hand.

She soon recognised him – the one who tried to bid for her but was outbidded by Sa-Baek. And she had an idea.

Seeing how there were no other sober man in the area, she crept up to the man quietly and draped on of his arms over her shoulder. Slowed by the pain, she dragged him back into the chamber she was supposed to serve Sa-Baek.

The mercenary was knocked out completely and had not even moved an inch when she carried him far across the hall. She laid him down on a bench covered with pillows, and then went to retrieve the dagger by wrapping Sa-Baek's robe around it. Strategically, she wrapped the man's hand around the hilt of the dagger.

Just as she was about to turn away, she stared at the man's face, serene while asleep. His brows furrowed occasionally as though he was recounting an old, troubled tale in his dreams, and she just realized that she would be framing this man, even though he may be innocent and had never murdered anyone in his life.

 _Whoever has stepped foot in the ssanghua-dian, has never been innocent,_ she tried to convince herself. But her guilt told her otherwise. She felt conflicted, and suddenly hated herself for what she was about to do.

"I'm sorry," she whispered as she looked at him. _But my survival is more important._

She turned away. Then fatigue and pain overcame her, and she dropped to the floor. The one thing she had not anticipated, was that she was too weak to run away at that moment.

* * *

When she woke, she was well-aware where she was and the events that transpired during the night. Although her knees were still weak, she forced herself to stand, lifting herself with a hand on the bench.

The mercenary still slept. She looked at the sandclock. It had stopped flowing.

Panicking, she looked around the room where she can escape, which of course, was impossible. Goryo had built the _ssanghua-dian_ below a tavern, there was no way she could escape unless through the door. At this hour, everyone was surely awake, and it won't be long before someone realized that Sa-Baek had gone past the hour.

Her eyes fell onto a closet, sitting alone in the corner of the chamber. It could be a temporary hideout for her, at least buy her some time to think of a proper plan.

A groan brought her out of her reverie. The mercenary shifted slightly in his sleep. She had no other options, scrambled to the closet and climbed into the cramped space, then shut the doors immediately.

The interior was dark and it took her a while to adjust to it. She opened the doors slightly, and watched through the sliver, at the scene that unfolded before her, refraining herself from making any sounds.

The mercenary was awake, she could see it. He seemed confused, disoriented, no doubt still induced with sleep. He turned his head around, as though trying to get a grip of where he was, until he saw the body on the bed.

And he was fully awake.

The door slammed open.

"Are you done with your fantasies, brother –"

A man stood at the doorway, who shared the same face as Sa-Baek. His face morphed from annoyance to shock, then to horror, when he saw his brother nude and dead on the bed, and he shifted his glance to where the mercenary laid, with a blade held tightly in his grasp.

There was a moment of silence. She didn't know how long, but they both exchanged glances. Morbid. Horror. Shock. All heavy emotions conveyed in both men's eyes.

It was the brother who broke silence first. "You vile lowlife, just what have you done?"

The mercenary wavered for a moment, then his eyes hardened with anger and sheer disbelief. "Lord Do-Baek, I have nothing to do with this –"

Do-Baek dashed forward in three quick strides and grabbed him by the collar, lifting him off the bench. The fire in the mercenary's eyes only burnt even brighter. "Do you know what's the punishment for murdering the son of a noble lord? The Baek household will not forgive you. My father will hear of this,"

The mercenary's lips were pulled taut. Unafraid, he gripped Do-Baek's wrist, which surprised him immensely.

Do-Baek winced in disgust. "Keep your dirty hands off mine, you imbecile!"

"Or what will you do?" he dared. "Remove my hands? I ask to be tried fairly, m'lord. I spent the night in the hall and was passed out drunk. The other mercenaries can testify –"

"And what good is the word of another lowlife like you?"

Another figure stepped into the room. "What's the meaning of this?"

She did not need to see to know who that man was. Goryo.

"Just in time, Goryo," Do-Baek released the mercenary, then took out a cloth from his robes and wiped his hands, shooting him a hateful glare.. "This man murdered my brother in cold blood. I walk into the room and see the knife in his hand,"

Goryo turned to the mercenary. "Yasuo, what says you in your defense?"

 _Yasuo_ , she repeated the name in her mind. Was it just her, or did the name ring a bell in her mind?

The man named Yasuo gritted his teeth. "I was passed out drunk last night, Goryo. And I woke up today, to find myself in this room, holding a dagger while Lord Sa-Baek lays dead on the bed,"

Do-Baek fumed. "You tried to bid for the _ssanghua_ last night, but lost to my brother!"

"You think I would murder for such an immature reason?"

Goryo walked away from them and studied the corpse on the bed. "Now that you mention it…" he mumbled under his breath, but loud enough for both men to hear.

"What of it, Goryo?" Do-Baek's tone raised another pitch. "This man reeks of dishonesty!"

The perfumed bard turned around, a fan held in between his fingers. He stared at Yasuo and Do-Baek with sombre eyes. "Where is my _ssanghua_?"

"My brother lays dead, and this is your primary concern?"

Goryo was unperturbed by the man's anger that radiated to every corners of the chamber. He approached Yasuo, then bent to retrieve the dagger that fell from his hands when Do-Baek violently hoisted him up. He inspected the blade, turning it around and studied the hilt.

"Isn't this Akh-dang steel, Lord Do-Baek?" Goryo asked.

Do-Baek's eyes widened, obviously taken aback. His face had paled a little, but he swallowed hard and steeled himself. "W-what of it?"

"Only one family in the whole of Ionia possesses a weapon like this," Goryo smiled at Do-Baek, and something about that smirk sent chills down her spine. "And Lord Sa-Baek had always flaunted about the dagger he was given to, and not to you. And it appears, your brother had snuck a weapon into my premises,"

Do-Baek's face grew dark. "So what? That does not justify this man's actions. Murder is murder. He must be flogged and flayed publicly,"

"Maybe he did murder your brother," Goryo agreed. "But what will you tell your dear father, about the death of his favourite son? That he was murdered while fucking a whore in an illegal brothel?"

Do-Baek remained silent. Fear was apparent on the lord's face.

"Of course, I will not allow that. You are going to carry your brother's corpse into the Tevasa woods and arrange the scene in such a way that he was murdered in a bandit raid. Or else I'll make sure you never step out of this _ssanghua-dian_ alive,"

Do-Baek's lips quivered in fear. "Still, this mercenary –"

"I will oversee his punishment, Lord Do-Baek, you have my word. Goryo always keeps his promises," Goryo assured. "In fact, Lord Daikyu has asked for a favour and I intend to hand him over to his mercy,"

"Lord Daikyu?" Do-Baek's eyes faltered, betraying fear. "What would a lord like him want with a mercenary?"

"Lord Daikyu has asked that I keep this matter in complete secrecy. But with his reputation, I'm sure this is the best punishment our presumed murderer will get. Now, if you may excuse us, Lord Do-Baek, I have things to discuss with Yasuo. I beg that you do not eavesdrop, m'lord. I have eyes and ears everywhere,"

There was a brief silence where Lord Do-Baek debated with his decisions. Until he sighed defeatedly.

"Of course," Do-Baek retreated reluctantly, blatantly displeased with Goryo's decisions. But he had no choice. "I will return shortly to collect my brother's corpse. Please convey my regards to Lord Daikyu,"

He approached Goryo to retrieve Sa-Baek's dagger, but Goryo withdrew his hand.

"I'll keep the dagger for now," Goryo snapped his fan shut. "I mean no offense, m'lord, but it was never yours to begin with,"

Do-Baek pursed his lips, fuming with utter shame and anger. But he stormed out of the room without another word.

Goryo turned his gaze to Yasuo. It was hard to see both men through the sliver from the closet, so she strained her ears to listen to their conversation.

"Never would I thought it would be one of my _ssanghuas_ ," Goryo muttered. Yasuo looked at him, puzzled.

"Observe the corpse, Yasuo. There is another fluid besides blood. Sa-Baek has climaxed before death. His death matches the pattern of the murders I mentioned to you. Our murderer has gotten smarter,"

She shuffled uncomfortably, then accidentally bumped her thigh against the door of the closet. There was a soft thud, and she froze instantly, worried that the two men had heard her.

Yasuo was alert for one moment, his eyebrows knitted in a confused frown. He quickly dismissed it, however, and returned his attention to Goryo.

"Does that mean you can prove my innocence?" Yasuo asked.

Goryo only flashed him a wicked grin. "And why would I do that? The last thing that Lord Daikyu wants is the whole of _ssanghua-dian_ alerted to an issue that he has desperately tried to cover up. Bringing you into this and saying you killed him eases everything,"

Yasuo's eyes flared murderously. "You can't frame me, Goryo. No one can. Everyone is besotted with your new _ssanghua_ and I dare bet on my life that everyone remembers her face. If I were to bring up her mystery disappearance after serving Lord Sa-Baek –"

"It _will_ raise questions, yes. But are you stupid enough to think that would rally the mercenaries and convince the lords to waste their breath trying to clear a lowlife's name like yours?"

The mercenary was silent. He looked down on the floor, not in shame, but a great fire burnt in those eyes. Anger, dismay and a great desire to scream at the gods for his unfortunate fate.

She felt bad for him at that moment.

"We are not without options, Yasuo," Goryo whispered. "Lord Daikyu's contract is still available. Assist him and uncover the mystery behind the _ssanghua_ , and he will reward you greatly,"

"And if I refuse?"

"I'm afraid you will be branded a murderer and a bandit responsible for Sa-Baek's demise, and be handed over to Lord Do-Baek to do as he please,"

As confused as she may be, she strained to hear more of their conversation. She had no doubt that Goryo seemed aware of the killing spree she had conducted far across Ionia, and she knew that he was trying to recruit the mercenary to help apprehend her. She frowned. Who was this _Daikyu_ that he spoke of?

Leaning back against the wall of the closet, she continued to eavesdrop. It was hard to move around the cramped space, and so she wiggled a little to press her legs closer to her, and at the same time stretched her arms a little further –

 _Clank!_

She froze. The two men stopped talking.

She looked beside her only to see that she had accidentally knocked over a lantern.

A lantern? She remembered the closet being empty before she climbed in, or had she looked over anything because she was blind with frantic?

"Was there something in the closet, Goryo?"

"It has always been empty, unless Lord Sa-Baek had placed his belongings in it,"

The lantern rattled on its own, then glimmered with a dim, eerie glow. She was afraid at first, not knowing what to do, until it started glowing brighter and it was only a matter of seconds before they walked to the closet to investigate. She thought quickly, frantically. Was it Sa-Baek's odd trinkets again? Had she finally been caught?

 _Oh_ , realization hit her, and her wide eyes turned from fear to understanding.

She heard footsteps coming closer to the closet. Without a second thought, she held onto the lantern, and gave a forceful tug.

* * *

The lantern grew so bright that it blinded her, and suddenly she found herself somewhere familiar – the woods of Tevasa, just a few miles away from the _ssanghua -dian_.

And just as she thought, Thresh sat on a boulder right in front of her, gnawing on a straw.

"You can thank me later," the demon drawled.

She scoffed. "You're incorrigible. Why do you bother bailing me out? Once those guys caught me I'll be executed, and you can collect my soul as you wanted,"

Thresh stroke the bottom of his jaw, narrowing his soulless eyes as though considering it, before shaking his head. "I doubt it. Those men weren't planning to kill you right away,"

The little fox dusted herself off, sneering at the demon. "Don't be ridiculous, Thresh, you don't read minds –" her eyes widened, and her jaw dropped with a silent gasp. Thresh stared at her, puzzled, as her expression changed into something teasing as though she had discovered his ultimate weakness.

"You're afraid," she pointed an accusing finger at him.

"Afraid of _what?_ "

"The dagger," she slammed a fist on her opened palm. "The dagger wards off evil spirit. You're afraid of it,"

Thresh narrowed his eyes. He seemed to have lost his humour.

"Where's your biting wit now?" she teased.

"I'm sure the dagger is the least of your concerns, little fox. If those men had caught you, I wouldn't be able to get hold of your scent any longer. They don't plan to execute you immediately after catching you,"

"And now I am free, thanks to you," she faked a grateful bow. "I'll never get caught, Thresh. What happened back there was a mistake partly my fault. I should have chosen my victims more carefully. It won't happen again,"

" _It won't happen again_ ," Thresh repeated. She stopped smiling, looking at him. There was something about the way he said it that scared her, as though he knew something she didn't.

Thresh raised his sickle, pointing at her tail. "You did not feed, did you?"

She took a glance at her nine tails. Eight were white, whereas one had started to brown, with patches of fur falling to the ground.

He was right. She barely fed from Sa-Baek's life essence before he started cutting her with that _cursed_ blade.

Her lips curled in a wince. Her eyes turned hard. She would have to disguise herself again and find a man quickly to leech his essence, just so she could stay alive. Driven by instincts, her hand reached into her robe, looking for that totem –

Her hand touched nothing. She shivered in fright.

"It's not there, isn't it?" Thresh smirked.

Her illusion totem. It was gone.

"How much time do you have left?" he asked, this time his smirk grew even wider.

 _How much time,_ the question repeated in her mind. _Perhaps one month, more or less?_ Her tails would began to burn away one by one, and she would have to go through agonizing pain unless she fed again. Perhaps her charm could deceive her victim, but it wouldn't stay for more than an hour until her victim sober up. And she wouldn't have enough energy to charm everyone in case she were ever caught. Goryo was aware of her had begun picking up her trail, to apprehend her - the _muderer_. People would be after her. And if she used too much energy, her tails would burn away even faster –

 _There's nothing I can do_.

"That's right, little fox," Thresh muttered, surprising her. "The only thing you can do right now is run and hide. And perhaps kill a man and leech him. You would be in pain, and even reveal yourself as the demon _you truly are_. Either way, you can't run away from the truth,"

She stared at him, desperately. She was running out of ideas.

"This is the price you have to pay," Thresh rose from the boulder. He swung the lantern and sickle around him, green embers circling him at his feet. "Even if you're human, you'll never be accepted, _Ahri_ ,"

Thresh disappeared. The forest was silent. Ahri sank to her knees, lost and truly lost, not knowing what her next step should be.


	6. Chapter 6: The Puppet

**The Puppet**

"Was there something in the closet, Goryo?" Yasuo whispered. Their gazes were fixed on the wooden closet that sat idle in the corner of the room, an isolated furniture which had nothing fascinating about it that one would never bother paying a second glance. Yet, a loud noise echoed from within, a sound equivalent to that of someone accidentally toppling an object.

"It has always been empty, unless Lord Sa-Baek puts his belongings in it," Goryo answered rhetorically, but his eyes shot Yasuo a look, saying otherwise. _Go have a look, nothing could have possibly been toppled on its own._

And Yasuo tipped towards the closet, eyes refusing to blink. Goryo remained still behind him, watching silently.

He reached out his arm, held the knob to the closet, then pulled it hard, yanking the door of the closet open.

Empty.

Goryo strode forward quickly, then inspected the closet. He prodded every corner and looked for any hidden partition, or a secret panel. But it was just as it was – a boring, normal closet.

"You heard it, too," Yasuo turned to Goryo, confirming he wasn't still under the influence of alcohol from yesterday.

Goryo nodded. "I fear our murderer may not be an ordinary being,"

"What says so?" he asked incredulously, which Goryo then pulled out an odd trinket that was long and cylindrical in shape, plated in silver. He held it closer to the interior of the shelf, and suddenly the rod glowed from silver to yellow, then to green, and red.

"A trinket from one of my benefactors," Goryo explained. "Mages and sorcerers often leave a certain amount of magical residue whenever casting a spell, even more obvious for spells that involve runes. Usually it glows a specific colour depending on which school of magic the spell belonged to, but in this case…"

The colours still changed, from vibrant to dull, bright to dim.

"If this much of spells had been casted in one place, the caster could have severe consequences of spontaneously combusting, or levelling the whole place. But if that is not the case, I fear some form of divinity is involved here," he then reached deep into the closet and retrieved a small item that would easily be missed – a totem. "An illusion totem, a rechargeable one, as well, to possibly conceal her true form,"

"Meaning to say we are not dealing with a human, but a demon that seduces a man to kill,"

"Rightly so,"

"Humans I can understand," Yasuo shuffled from foot to foot. "Their motives, their desire and the reason they acted that way, I can understand. But if something out of this world was involved, I fear you've found the wrong person for this job,"

"I did not ask you to slay the murderer, but to track and apprehend it, just as Lord Daikyu wished. Remember that Lord Daikyu will lend you his resources and power as well, should you find the need of a nobleman's assistance,"

"And when do I begin?"

Goryo smiled. "Soon. But first, Lord Daikyu wishes to see you,"

* * *

That very same night, Yasuo was brought to one of the chambers reserved for the ones with the highest status. Standing at the door were two sentries which were not human, more like vessels made out of baked mud and stone, their face drawn with a crimson rune that pulsated like a vein.

 _Golems_ , Yasuo thought to himself, and held his arms aloft as the sentries patted down his sleeves and robe, inspecting for any weapons hidden underneath him. When they both stood aside, allowing him entry, Yasuo knocked thrice rapidly as mentioned by Goryo, then entered.

The chamber was a lot luxurious compared to those of the normal clients. On the featherbed, two _ssanghuas_ frolicked between themselves, kissing and touching each other while a lean, young man sat in an armchair away from the bed, watching while sipping from a golden chalice. Goryo stood in a corner, his head bowed respectfully with his hands hidden in his sleeves.

When the young man noticed Yasuo's presence, he dismissed the girls immediately. Then he stood into the light, and Yasuo could see the handsome features of the young heir's face – pronounced cheekbones and strong jaw, bright yellow eyes that shone like precious stones, and a chiselled body that was briefly revealed through his robe.

"Lord Daikyu, may I present to you: Yasuo," Goryo introduced.

"A bit young to be the heir of the household, perhaps?" Yasuo said, never a hint of fear in his voice.

Goryo's eyes flashed briefly at his insolent remark but said nothing, whereas the young lord only seemed amused instead of offended. Daikyu gently placed the chalice on the table and folded his arms across his chest, looking Yasuo straight in the eyes.

"You always do know how to find talented individuals, Master Goryo," Daikyu chuckled. "A bit brash and insolent, I must admit. That mouth of his would get him killed eventually if not for his arrogance, but it will do,"

Yasuo creased his forehead. "I'm not some brood mare to be priced –"

"I did not ask for your opinion," Daikyu glared at him from the corner of his eye, though his face remained a mask of indifference. Yasuo saw the threat from his gaze and wanted to retort, but decided to keep it to himself and gritted his teeth.

"Goryo told me you wanted something other than wealth and power," Daikyu said. "He kept mentioning that you are cut out for this job, but that is for me to decide. I believe you have the leads already? That you know where to start? As far as I know, it turns out you could have been the victim instead of Sa-Baek,"

Yasuo narrowed his eyes, but never leaving Daikyu's yellow ones that glowed maliciously. He knew this man was powerful enough to bring the whole Ionia to his feet, that he was intelligent enough to know when to use his power and when not to. And people like him often had motives that no one could understand, which Yasuo felt that he should risk a little to at least ask why he wished to capture the murderer alive, and he doubted that the answer was for a good cause.

"Goryo told me you wish to have the culprit captured alive," Yasuo asked. "Might I ask, what do you wish to do with her?"

Daikyu smiled shamelessly. "Why, my father is an important man in the Elder's Council. Am I not allowed to do some good for the folks of Ionia?"

"We both know that is most unlikely, my lord,"

His smile only grew even more unnerving, a hidden threat lying underneath. "Being curious in your field of work only gets you into deeper trouble, do you not know that? But if you must know, fine. Do you not see how powerful this being is, whether she's human or not? If I were to get her to obey me and do my bidding, do you know what that means?"

"You wish to enslave her?"

"I can dispatch all of my enemies at once if I were to have her," Daikyu steepled his fingers. "Not even my father can be in my way. And once she has served her purpose, I'll dispose of her just as the good people of Ionia wanted,"

Yasuo said nothing, but his silence spoke for him. The young lord only smirked at him, acknowledging his disapproval, but obviously taking pride in the fact that his opinions barely mattered after all. And that was when Yasuo realized his purpose in all these – a puppet.

His grimace only grew more prominent, and he hated how obvious and predictable he was at that moment, like the young lord could see his disgust and understand his helplessness, and he was blatantly mocking him for it.

"Then I best leave for my task while the trail is still fresh, m'lord. Wouldn't want to keep you waiting," he bowed before swiftly turning and excusing himself. If Yasuo stayed in that chamber with Daikyu for any longer, he would retch at any moment.

"Wait,"

Before he could reach for the door, the two golems from earlier seized him by his arms with lightning speed, rendering him immobile. Yasuo struggled within their grasp, their hold on him only got stronger, until he felt his arms sore.

Goryo then approached Yasuo with an indifferent look. He seemed neither pleased, nor was he sympathetic with his situation. Between his fingers he held a small vial of cloudy liquid, and Yasuo grunted and struggled even more.

"I have a gift for you," Daikyu's voice resonated behind him. "For your _insolence_ ,"

Goryo stared at him in the eyes, then whispered. "This will pass in a minute,"

He forced open Yasuo's mouth and fed him whatever that was in the vial, and when the poppy wine touched his tongue it burnt fiercely. Yasuo choked as it sloshed down his throat, and he barely had the strength to even scream, twitching violently in the golems' arms. Every muscle and fibre in his body locked and seized uncontrollably, and perhaps he was shaking so violently that the golems had to release him, or perhaps they just realized he was too weak to fight against them.

The last thing he remembered was the slap of the cold floor against his cheek.

* * *

When he woke, he was laid on a sleeping mat amidst the wild grass in the heart of the Tevasa forest. Yasuo gasped and bolted upright, his hand instantly went for his sword at his hip, and felt relief when he felt the familiar touch of the cold steel by his side.

Then he noticed the perfumed bard sitting on a boulder, and his mood turned foul.

Goryo smiled mirthlessly. "I trust you had a good rest?"

Yasuo rose to his feet, took five angry strides towards him and unsheathed his sword, slashing straight at him. But his blade only cut through air, wisps of smoke distorting from Goryo's visage. An illusion.

Goryo remained unfazed and tutted. "Is this how your brother died? Because you acted rash?"

"If I ever see you again, I will kill you,"

"If the Warlock's Breath doesn't kill you first," Goryo said. "I'll say this once, Yasuo. The girl's name is Ahri. I don't know what she's called before she became a _ssanghua_ , but it does not matter. I've given you the totem that she had possibly left behind by accident and a tracer to track her down, do you know how to use it?"

Yasuo looked at a dull sphere that seemed purely made of glass, and beside it was the illusion totem mentioned – a small wooden artefact with runes carved onto it. When he held it in his hand, the sphere pulsed faintly, the cold surface quickly turning warm in his hand.

He glared at Goryo incredulously. "Who do you think I am? A mage?" he snapped impatiently.

Goryo sighed, his image shifting slightly. "The _yunpokyu_ memorizes the magical signature of a magic relic and leads you to the user. Divine being or not, the _yunpokyu_ always pick up on the trail left by the caster, even when they are not using magic. Just head in the direction where it gets unbearably hot. Think of it as a clairvoyant.

"And also a gift for you. It's wrapped with your sword," Goryo pointed at his hip.

And so his hand went to his hip. Indeed, there was something thin and long hidden near the sheath of his sword. Yasuo unwrapped the sheath from himself and took out the gift mentioned – a dagger with a wicked hilt. Without hesitation, he pulled it out, and the dark green of the blade met the glint of the sun's rays.

"The Akh-dang steel dagger," Yasuo marvelled at its beauty, the exquisite and delicate craftsmanship of the rarest blade in the whole of Runeterra. He looked at the perfumed bard incredulously, puzzled about his motives.

"Sa-Baek used it in his self-defense, I believe, and the mess the murderer made could only mean he succeeded. Not for long, though,"

"One moment you poison me," Yasuo voiced his doubts. "And the next, you shower me with gifts?"

Goryo hid both his hands inside his long sleeves. "It was Daikyu's request that you be given a dose of Warlock's Breath to ensure your loyalty. But rest assured, as long as you pose no threat to Lord Daikyu and I, and show no signs of eloping, then you shall be safe from the effects of the poison,"

"What is it about Daikyu that makes you so afraid of him?"

Goryo's face, which had remained a mask of indifference since he woke up, suddenly turned a lot darker, and his eyes flashed as though they were brewing a storm. If Yasuo had not known better, he would have flinched at the sight.

"The young lord does not scare me," he said, his tone gloom and dangerous. "None of the benefactors _scare_ me. Before you speak, remember that I am the one who has control over the Warlock's Breath, even Lord Daikyu,"

Yasuo kept quiet, but daringly kept his gaze level with the perfumed bard.

"You should be on your way as soon as possible," Goryo advised. "It is unwise to keep the young lord waiting. I will keep in touch with you once in a while to see your progress," he bowed lightly to excuse himself, then stepped back as a bright light enveloped his form, and the illusion disappeared in a flash.

The forest was silent once again, save for the light hum of the magic sphere which Yasuo held in his hand. Sighing, he tucked the sheathed Akh-dang steel dagger into his robe, which his fingers then brushed lightly against the smooth wooden surface of his _di_ , the last remnant of connection he had left to his brother.

 _Oh Yone, just what kind of mess am I into?_

* * *

It had been a week, and Yasuo had barely made any progress. He was losing his patience.

True to Goryo's words, the tracker turned hot whenever he turned in the right direction, and it scorched his palm so badly when he walked in that direction. He had decided it was a bad idea to hold it with his bare hands, not to mention hiding it underneath his tunic.

However, he would keep following the trail until at one point the sphere just turned cold abruptly. An instant drop in temperature. And he had no idea why.

He would then spend the better half of the day tracing back his steps or walking back and forth until the sphere reacted again, and the process repeated itself over the week. Within a week he had travelled almost every square feet of the Tevasa forest, minor settlements around the region, until he reached a small town to the southernmost of Navori region – Xindar.

The sphere still pulsed when he entered the worn-down gates of the town, and Yasuo wondered if it would fade soon just like before. The moment he saw large crowds Yasuo immediately drew his cowl forward, concealing his face from the eyes of the public. No one would pay any attention to a hooded man – they would just think that he was an acolyte of the Shojin Monk.

He weaved through the crowd, grasping the sphere firmly within his hand as it radiated with heat. His eyes darted back and forth, scanning every face in the crowd for any familiar faces while trying to ignore the searing pain that burnt through the cloth he wrapped around his palm. His ears listened for any suspicious conversations, or any word gossips, but quickly dismissed those pointless talks and drunken slurs.

He stopped at the sight of a rather large inn, which was quite unusual for a small town like Xindar. But what surprised him even more was the fact that the sphere was still scorching hot, and so he decided it was worth a try to go in there to have a look. If it all leads to another cold trail, at least he could drink until he passed out.

As small Xindar may be, the inn was pretty much crowded. He could not tell if there were foreigners among this crowd of people, but they all drank and danced as strumpets and bards sang on the stage that was too simply decorated. The air inside was heavy with the smell of strong liquor, the choking scent of daisies and tulips that the strumpets wore. Yasuo sat himself down in the most secluded spot of the inn, and when a young maiden approached him, he pretended to be fascinated with non-existent things just to look away from her. "A mug of something strong will do," he mumbled. The maiden nodded nonchalantly and walked away without another word.

The audience applauded and screamed madly all of the sudden, as someone appeared on stage. Yasuo merely looked away and looked through the crowd, wondering if the _ssanghua_ could be hiding amongst them, trying to lure some poor fool into her trap. It wasn't long before he heard the familiar strum of an instrument. A sound that was too familiar for him to ignore. Yasuo frowned, then risked a brief glance at the stage.

When he saw who it was, his eyes widened. "Your drink, sire," the maiden squeaked, bringing him his liquor, but he simply paid her no heed.

" _Catallena!_ " someone in the crowd screamed, and was met with a thunderous round of applause. Another loud strum on the _hu_ silenced the crowd instantly, and the player on the stage then began singing a ballad while strumming his instrument.

His voice sent shivers down Yasuo's spine. It was shrill yet sweet, high yet melodious, every note he sang was of exact precision, the _hu_ that he played was just the cherry on top of a grand dessert. He knew Goryo was a bard, but he never knew he possessed such an angelic voice.

And suddenly, he was very disgusted by the sight of him. He had no idea why.

As he ended his song, the crowd roared again. Everyone stood and clapped so loudly that it was giving him a headache. He winced as he watched Goryo very elegantly stashed away his _hu,_ then stood and bowed gracefully while smiling to the crowd. The folk all gave him a standing ovation, some whistled and cheered as women dabbed the corners of their eyes with their kerchiefs. Goryo merely retreated until he disappeared behind the curtains, then the buzz died the moment the stage was empty once again.

In the next minute, emerging from the chamber behind the stage was Goryo who had shed his alter ego, donning a modest grey robe that concealed his arms and legs and neck. The strong scent which he usually wore was absent as well, and his face was bare from the powders he usually used. Yasuo sipped, watching him carefully as he made his way to his table.

Strange, it was as though no one recognized him at all, not as the bard known ras Catallena who just performed a moment ago.

"Really? _Catallena?_ " Yasuo cocked his head, tasting the odd name on his tongue. "From where do you hail, truly?"

"It is merely a stage name," Goryo said coyly. "A rogue mercenary like you have no idea how well-loved Catallena is,"

"Are people often sexually confused about you?"

"Does it matter?" Goryo shuffled slightly, adjusting his robe as he sat more comfortably upon the rickety chair that creaked to hold his weight. "People fall in love with my songs, not me. It is my voice they find most pleasant and desirable, like a lover that makes their loins ache with wont,"

Yasuo only chuckled.

"Speaking of which," Goryo's eyes hardened. "How is your progress?"

"The trail leads to Xindar. These few days it has been nothing but deadends, but the trinket you've given me still burns hot,"

"She's near," Goryo concluded. "I've not heard of any similar deaths ever since Sa-Baek's encounter. It appears she has decided to lay low,"

"Everything about this screams _odd._ Just what does she get out of this? Like, all of a sudden she appears and starts killing people. What does she truly want?"

"I've no clue, Yasuo. Might write to her to ask, or invite her over for a cup of tea and ask how her day is,"

Yasuo grunted. "You seem relaxed. I doubt Daikyu has your level of patience,"

"Which is why I have come to usher you," Goryo leaned closer to him. "And to assist you,"

"I beg your pardon?"

"My source told me that she will stay at Xindar for several days. Even demons need time to restore their strength. Their vitality is finite. If the tracker reacts that way, it could only mean she's already here,"

Yasuo bristled. "All these while and you know her whereabouts? Why send me then?"

"I hear and see only a little. I barely know the credibility of some information. But this, I assure you, I am most certain of. It won't be long before she kills again. You know who her targets are,"

"Sometimes I truly wonder," Yasuo leaned against his seat, narrowing his eyes at the bard that sat before him. "Goryo, just _who are you?_ "

There was a brief silence between them. Both remained a mask of indifference, refusing to speak.

"You suddenly appear out of nowhere. You have magical trinkets that I've never even heard of – "

"I have very generous benefactors. My _ssanghua-dian_ makes sure of that,"

"You manage to run an illegal business with that size under the Elder Council's noses. And you seem to know what is happening _everywhere,_ or what will happen right before they happen _,_ like you are clairvoyant,"

Goryo opened his mouth. But before he could speak, the sound of a door opening drew their attention, and they both turned to see who the newcomer could be.

A small, delicate figure, wrapped in tight black cloak that hid her face and body. No one noticed her, except Yasuo and Goryo who stared as she made her way towards a secluded corner of the tavern, then sat down all by herself. Goryo looked away to avoid drawing her attention, while Yasuo consciously pulled his cowl forward as well, a sinking feeling telling him that they could be easily recognised by her.

The sphere only burnt hotter this time, a stinging pain against his bare skin.

"I must leave. She knows me," Goryo stood as subtly as he could, and surprisingly as he pushed the chair back it barely made a sound. "Be careful, Yasuo. You don't know what you're dealing with,"

Still unable to shake off the feeling that he's hiding things from him, he glared at Goryo. "After I am done with this job, you're telling me everything,"

"That's not for you to decide," Goryo walked past him and whispered. "Remember who holds the Warlock's Breath," he then turned a corner, and was nowhere to be seen.

Yasuo held a shuddered breath, and watched the black figure with the corner of his eyes. Someone placed a mug of ale before her, and he did not even spare her a second glance even though she nodded her thanks. He watched and waited patiently as she sat still, drumming her fingers on the surface of the table, taking small sips from the mug of ale instead of a full swig. He could see that she was slowly scanning the crowd, looking for her next victim.

It was a full hour when she remained at her seat, repeating the same routine without fail. Yasuo frowned, growing impatient by the minute. _Just what are you playing at?_ He lifted his tankard to his lips and finished the remaining ale, eyes fixed on the figure.

She must have remained still for quite a while, her line of sight fixed in his direction. At that moment, she stood. Her movements were subtle and silent like a ghost, barely attracting any attention from the crowd. She started moving towards him.

Yasuo froze, his lips still touching the cold steel of the tankard. His senses kicked in and he tried to act as natural as he could, immediately lowering his gaze. He suddenly became aware of how she might actually had lured men into her bed, judging from the way her victims died, in post-coital bliss. _Do not look at her, do not look at her._

She pulled back the chair Goryo occupied earlier, then sat across him.

"I know you're looking for me," she whispered. And he was reminded of how sweet and melodious her voice was. A voice akin to a lute played by a god himself. He refused to look up.

Yasuo swallowed, then faked a baritone voice. "And who might you be, my fair lady?"

Even underneath the hood, he could feel her smirk. She knew he was simply feigning ignorance.

"I heard your conversation with Goryo. And I knew we would meet again,"

Knowing there was no use to hide, Yasuo's hand went below, going for his sword at his hip.

"You leave me no choice," he confessed. "You framed me,"

"So that I won't raise his brother's suspicion. All humans do whatever that was necessary to survive, no matter how evil the outcome could be. I only practice what I've learnt,"

"Are you trying to justify your actions by comparing them with a meagre example of my species?"

"Are you not hunting me down just so you can keep your head between your shoulders?" she snapped. "Do not compare me with those vile men. Even if I were a normal human girl, they wouldn't treat me with respect,"

"'Vile men'," Yasuo mocked. "And you think you're doing this world some good by getting rid of them? You posed as a _ssanghua._ And men don't usually treat _slaves_ with respect. Be realistic, demon, if you do not learn that after mingling so long among humans, now you should,"

"You are a hypocrite," she said, but it was devoid of anger, instead filled with pity and mockery. "Were you in my place, you would have done exactly what I have done, just to stay alive. I didn't take their lives out of hatred, if that's what you and Goryo assume,"

"And you think your life is more precious than theirs?"

"At least I have a purpose,"

"We have a word for it. It's called _selfishness,_ "

"Their deaths won't stop the world from spinning. Even if they cease to exist, Ionia wouldn't crumble to dust within the next hour,"

"Just why did you do it?" Yasuo shook his head vehemently, unable to understand her from her perspective. "All these killings. Suddenly you exist and take people's lives. For what?"

She was quiet, and he could sense her hesitation. She would probably even refuse to answer, or attack him at any moment. He kept reminding himself that she was not a human and could be very unpredictable. Unconsciously, his touch on the hilt of his sword tightened.

"I don't remember," she admitted quietly. "I only remember feeling fear when I first woke. Confusion. Not knowing what's happening. Then I killed a man, by accident. And slowly with every life I take, I learn something from them and I become more human. I live by feeding on other people's life essence. Or else I will cease to exist,"

Yasuo pursed his lips, still refusing to stare at her. He could not afford to feel pity right now. Sympathy could only get him killed.

"I wish to live, and maybe when I'm fully human, I won't need to kill anymore. I've seen the way you looked at me back at the _ssanghua-dian._ Others stared at me with lust and wont, whereas you…" her voice trailed away, and Yasuo could not tell if she was struggling to find her next words or she was too shy to continue.

"It was your voice, and the song you sang," he admitted. _Because it reminded me of my dear brother_.

"Just leave me be, if you have an ounce of empathy in you," she asked. "I'll depart for northern Ionia in the coming morn, and we will never cross paths again. The men here would be at peace, if that was what Goryo wished,"

"Peace was not what Goryo wished," he rebutted, smiling sadly. "And I can't let you slip away this easily. I'm doing what's necessary just to survive, just as you are,"

She remained silent. He risked a glance upwards for a split second, and noticed that she barely moved at all. Yasuo's grip on his sword tightened, cold sweat beginning to form at the back of his hand.

"I see," she whispered faintly. "I understand,"

A hand shot out and grabbed him firmly by the jaw, forcing him to look upwards. It happened so quickly that Yasuo could not comprehend when or how she moved from her seat, but all of a sudden he was face to face with _her,_ and he would have recoiled in horror at the sight of her if she hadn't had him so firmly in her grasp.

She wore no illusions, and her eyes glowed bright pink. Something akin to whiskers marked her cheeks. If he looked more carefully he could see ears hiding underneath her cowl. Not human ears but _fox ears._

His muscles could barely budge. He tried to force his eyes away from her but it was as if someone had paralyzed him. Not even his eyes could obey him.

"And I hope that you understand me as well," the demon whispered in his ears, and he could feel his muscles loosening and growing slack at her voice. "That I have not fed for too long. You will contribute to my cause,"

Yasuo screamed internally, commanding his hand to lift and stab her to get away from her, yet all he could manage was a weak grunt. She continued to whisper in his ears, hush tones and soft voices imploring him to give in to his desires, which he did. He wondered where did all the people in the tavern go, how they did not notice the demon manhandling him, or why the tavern had suddenly gone so quiet and deserted, as though there were them and only them in the entire establishment. Just how powerful was her mind-bending illusions?

Her lips were touching the shell of his ear, her breath against his flesh tantalizing and electrifying. "I'll let you live your fantasies for the very last time, as you wanted to when you first laid your eyes on me," Images began to form in his mind, obscene ones that suddenly made his breeches feel extremely uncomfortable, and Yasuo released a sigh, all against her will.

She released him, and this time he stood up willingly, his eyes following her every movements. Deep inside, he screamed and thrashed and howled at himself to resist her charms, her deadly mind-bending. But it was all futile. She walked up the stairs, and he followed behind like a lost puppy.

As they entered the room, she took off her cloak immediately and disrobed without hesitation. Yasuo remained rooted on the spot near the door, his eyes locked on her nude figure. His face was still and indifferent, but inside him he recoiled in horror.

Three white tails sprouted from her behind. One of the three was brown like a wilting flower, and as she turned around to him, fur was shedding from her browning tail. Her eyes were no longer bright pink like earlier, but a deep sorrowful green and yellow. The fox ears on top of her head slumped a little when she stared at him, melancholy deep in her expression.

She approached him step by step. Yasuo tried his damnedest to break from her prison. "I know you're fighting my charms. You're a warrior, how can you not fight?" she whispered. A trembling hand reached out and caressed his jaw, her touch cold albeit gentle. "I was sorry I had to drag you into this. I don't know if you'll believe me, but I actually felt guilty,"

In front of her, he seemed comatose, at her dispose. Inside him, he was screaming at her to stay away from him.

"I wish you could understand," she said sadly. "It will be quick, I promise. What better gift is there than a painless death?"

Her hand pulled away from his jaw, slowly trailing down to the clasp of his cloak. She unfastened it deftly, and it billowed slightly as it pooled on the ground around his legs. The demon removed his sword from his hip and tossed it across the room, a loud thud echoed throughout the chamber as it met the floor next to the bed. She then reached for the collar of his tunic, reaching inside to pull his tunic off him.

Then she froze. Her eyes widened with fear and horror. At first he was confused, then he remembered the dagger. The gift from Goryo.

For the split of a second, Yasuo felt control over his body coming back to him swiftly. A second was all he needed.

She quickly retracted and hissed in pain. Yasuo reached for the Akh-Dang steel dagger hidden underneath his robes, and in a swift moment he slashed her across the arm. It was only a small cut, but she screamed nonetheless.

"Damn you!" she shouted, and her eyes glowed bright pink.

His instincts kicked in and he quickly looked away. Grabbing a pillow from the bed, he tossed it in her direction. His sword was not with him.

Improvising, he closed his eyes, waving his dagger in front of him dangerously.

"I should have known," she hissed.

"You underestimated me. Your loss,"

"You've already seen what I am. I'll have to kill you,"

Behind his eyelids he could see the room brightening unnaturally. A deep hum told him that something was wrong, and he better get as far away as possible.

He opened his eyes to get a quick glimpse, and was met with a bright blue orb shooting towards him. Yasuo braced for the onslaught.

The orb slammed against him, and he was thrown back so hard that he almost smashed right through the wall. He grunted, his vision suddenly swimming.

The demon snarled, her cloak from earlier held snugly around her small form, another orb of energy forming in her palm. Yasuo looked around the room briefly, and saw his sword far across the room.

 _Yone, guide me._

He threw the Akh-dang steel dagger towards her, which she dodged as it almost grazed her face. Seizing the moment, Yasuo dashed forward and hopped over the bed, his hand reaching out and coming in contact with his sword, the _Last Breath._

She sent forth another orb again. Yasuo could feel the sudden surge of adrenaline, his blood heating up as he unsheathed his sword in one hand, a battle cry forming from his throat.

Just before the orb could hit him, Yasuo slashed the air, forming a wind wall that dispelled the projectile.

Her eyes flared with shock and anger. His eyes narrowed with determination and bloodlust.

"I see you wish to do this the hard way," she sneered.

"Use your charms," Yasuo gritted his teeth. With his sword in his hand, he was confident. "I am not afraid,"

" _You should be!_ " she yelled, and dashed forward with lightning speed. Her eyes had turned cyan blue, three flaming orbs dancing around her form. Yasuo watched as she rushed forward, studying her movements and her quick reflexes, almost matching his.

He formed wind walls just as she fired an orb in his direction. Bedsheets and clothings that were strewn across the floor began floating in the air as the power of the wind was awakened within the chamber. Just as she threw her last orb, he ducked and charged forward with the wind hastening his footsteps, making him light as a feather as he danced with the fury of a hurricane. His blade whistled sharply as a gust gathered at the tip of his sword, which he released in the form of a twister in her direction.

She could barely react. Her eyes were full of shock and disbelief.

The strong gust of wind knocked her back, throwing her towards the wall. The momentum caused her to break through the wooden walls, which she fell right on top of a table where a few men were drinking and playing cards. She landed on the floor harshly as the table split right in the middle.

The crowd in the tavern had gone quiet. Everyone stopped what they were doing and stared at the spectacle before them.

Yasuo panted. The demon rose from her landing, and she glared at every man who stared at her. Their faces changed from shock to disbelief, to fear, as they all saw the fox ears on her head, the unnatural glint in her eyes, and her _tails._

He could see her panicking. She was exposed.

The crowd moved away from her as she suddenly screamed and thrashed around, as though she was overwhelmed in pain. Yasuo walked through the broken wall, and watched as one of her tails that had turned brown was burning with green fire. He watched with horror as the flames consumed, until there was nothing left but ashes upon the ground.

She had stopped screaming, but her painful grunts and the sight of cold sweat forming on her body tugged at his heart. He felt pity for her, almost.

The crowd moved away from her in fear.

"We have to… inform someone…"

"A demon. She's half-fox. What have we done to deserve such monstrosity?"

"Did you see her eyes? She could kill all of us…"

The crowd continued to buzz. She looked at everyone, retreating away from them as her eyes portrayed fear. Yasuo approached her. He had a mission to complete.

"Goryo can help you," he said. He did not know if Goryo could help her, or if Daikyu would at least be merciful to her. But he had to complete his mission. He had to take her back.

"Lying is what your kind does best," she spoke through gritted teeth. She shivered violently, scrambling away from him.

"I don't want to kill you," he admitted.

"Not a step closer," she snarled. Her eyes morphed into red. Crimson red. He noticed the tension in the air, and he could feel her power stirring around her.

"I can help –"

" _Get away!_ " she screamed and orbs that were as red as her eyes formed around her, circling with increasing velocity. The crowd panicked and tried to move away. Yasuo bristled at the sight, and took a step back. These orbs seemed murderous, unlike the one that had briefly knocked him back earlier.

The orbs all flashed outwards in all directions at once, penetrating those who were unfortunate enough to be in its direction. Upon contact, the victims dropped to the floor immediately, their eyes losing the spark of life as their mouths gaped open in a frozen surprise. Yasuo was rooted. He swore he heard the moans and howls, like souls being dragged to the underworld.

The orbs began taking more lives. People screamed. Tables turned and chairs broke. Yasuo regained his senses and blocked orbs that were coming too close to him with his wind wall. A huge gale began forming in the centre where the demon resided. Through the rough shift of the winds, Yasuo squinted. And he saw her, floating a few inches off the ground as she summoned more orbs, taking more souls.

He watched in horror as one of her tails started being restored. For each orb that returned to her, a wisp of smoke flowed towards her reforming tail, bouts of magic cocooning as though nurturing its growth. It wasn't long before two more of her tails were reformed.

He had to stop her.

The orbs began smashing against the tavern walls. Yasuo began wondering why the noise had suddenly died, then he saw all the corpses littering the floor and he was the last one standing.

The demon stretched out her hands, sending a shockwave that snapped the pillars and beams supporting the roof. The whole tavern collapsed. Yasuo cursed and dashed through the nearest exit with the help of the wind.

Townspeople were already gathering outside the tavern, and they started screaming and yelling when the tavern caved in. Yasuo knocked right into the crowd just before the remnants of the roof buried him, and he saw how the skies had darkened. An omen of the demon's rage.

He realized he barrelled right into a young woman, and he wanted to tell them to run, before it was too late.

Then a flash of red energy. And the woman fell to the ground like a lifeless doll.

"Shit!" he cursed. The crowd started realising what was truly happening, and the began running away. Yasuo squinted through the chaos, the massacre as more bodies fell when a red flash passed them. The demon floated right above the ruins of the tavern, her white tails flowing and gleaming with raw, malevolent energy. She seemed in a trance, glorifying in her feeding.

Nine white tails. And it didn't take him long to find out those were the source of her life, her existence.

All the folks ran. But it was no use. She was faster.

Some hid behind huts and covers, the orbs still found them nonetheless. Even if they were hiding under the roof, her orbs were powerful enough to penetrate walls, demolishing buildings in the process.

Yasuo knew he had to stop this massacre. He started running in her direction, commanding the wind to shield him as orbs zipped towards him. Two orbs approached him from left and right, which at the last moment he ducked and slid forward before they could touch him. His sword was firm in his grasp, despite how much he was sweating.

She did not seem aware of him going near her.

Something exploded right behind him. Went up in flames. He dared not look behind. He was very close.

The hum of energy was intense. He felt his hair stand.

Reaching behind her, he held his sword aloft with both hands. He saw red streaks of energy coming towards him from afar, at light's speed.

With a battle cry, he brought down his sword.

A sudden blast of energy pushed him back. A shrill scream. His? Hers?

And then all was silent. Quiet, like a cemetery.

His hand touched his chest, feeling his heart racing within. His hand was still holding his sword tightly, unable to let go. Taking in huge gulps of air, he stood shakily, exhaustion from the battle and narrow escape catching up on him.

Yasuo stood, and watched the aftermath of the destruction.

Bodies of the townspeople were everywhere. And far beyond the marketplace, Yasuo could tell their recent activities before the massacre occurred. A house was reduced to nothing but smithereens, and in the distant, the town hall was on fire, probably due to some chaos within that he dared not imagine. He walked what remained of Xindar, hoping he could at least hear a ragged gasp of a survivor, but it was far too quiet.

The entire population murdered in mere minutes. The town of Xindar, demolished within moments.

Something rustled behind him. He turned towards the ruins of the tavern, where it all began. He watched with a mortified glare at the demon whose tails he had cut off. All the tails that were removed went up in flames, and she writhed amidst the ruins piteously, tears streaking down her face as she shivered. She gasped with every breath, as though it hurt to even breathe. Yasuo grimaced, he hoped she was in a lot of pain for what she had done.

Fueled with anger, he walked towards her, his legs no longer trembling.

He saw that one tail had remained. He only managed to cut off eight out of her nine tails.

Her eyes were closed, and he could see that she was weakened drastically. He lifted his sword over his head, determined to end her life. Goryo and the lord be damned, he must do what was right.

Then she opened her eyes. No longer red, but eyes that were a wondrous mixture of yellow and green when he first saw her. The malevolence earlier was gone, replaced by exhaustion, weakness and acceptance. Acceptance of her fate.

Yasuo hesitated. He remembered this scene. Where she was once at her mercy, But he could not recall when, or where.

 _The best way to confront fear and hatred is to show love and kindness._

For the first time in his life, his sword arm trembled. He could not find it within himself to bring it down and end her life. He found that he was a lot less determined than the night he had cut down his own brother.

His voice shook as he spoke. "What have you done?" Yasuo's lips trembled, and suddenly he was ashamed of himself. "What have you done _to me?_ "


	7. Chapter 7: The Nameless

**The Nameless**

"What have you done _to me?_ "

She studied his face carefully, the subtle shift in his expression: from confusion to anger, to sadness, to grief. The tip of his blade was pointed at her throat, and she knew she had not enough energy to even help herself up, let alone making a run for it.

Their gazes locked. Yellow eyes met brown ones. It wasn't his emotions that woke something deep within her, but she suddenly remembered something. Something familiar.

A memory, buried very deep in her mind, and imaginary grove hidden away for a very long while. Something she had not managed to unearth, until now.

It was just a fragment of a memory, but she _remembered._ And it was at that moment that she knew they were reminiscing the same thing.

" _'The best way to confront fear and hatred_ ," she spoke, remembering the words of the one man she had seen long, long ago. " _is to show love and kindness_ ',"

The shock on his face spoke of many things. Answers to questions that she did not have to ask. She knew then, at that moment, who he was.

He staggered, then lowered his sword. The man looked awfully distraught, and she knew he had every right to. She had brought up a sore memory, a piece of flashback that he wished to forget, but she was the reminder of that. His knees trembled, then gave out and he knelt on the ground. A broken man, now amidst death and ruin.

She only watched the scene unfold. She did not know why the memory was a painful one for him, but she could not offer her pity.

"So it was you," he silently reaffirmed. "The white fox my brother and I caught. What have become of you?"

"What have become of _you?_ " she repeated her question. "I am not the only one who has fallen so low. What happened to the spirited boy who looked so highly upon his brother?"

He glared at her. She merely smirked. He was easy to provoke, and she knew how to push his buttons.

" _Fallen so low_? It appears that your form is more of an ordeal to you. Did someone purposely play a cruel trick on you?"

The smirk remained on her face, she willed it not to drop. But inside, she was seething with anger. No one had the audacity to comment on how she got her form, whether it truly be a cruel trick or a lucky chance. Not even Thresh, let alone _him._

"Your brother," at that moment, the only thing she wanted was to _hurt_ him. If she couldn't do that physically, she aimed to strike him emotionally. "Something ill befell him. I can tell. How would you fall from a swordsman full of vigour to a scoundrel that can only delight himself with wine and women?"

Her words were sharp and hit their mark. His lips curled, disgusted, furious. His grip on his sword tightened. She smiled, satisfied.

The swordsman approached her, his sword firm in his grip. She barely flinched, she had seen this coming. In that moment, she braced for herself, preparing herself as he was about to land the fatal strike –

With a swift flick of his hand, he planted his blade deep into the ground beside him. She looked at him, puzzled, then saw that he approached with ropes in hand.

"What are you doing?" she asked incredulously.

"Taking you back," he grabbed both her hands and wound the leather rope around her wrists. With deft hands he tied a knot and wrapped the remaining rope around her fingers as well, binding her so that she was unable to cast any spells. All the while he refused to meet her gaze, and she wasn't sure if it was because he was afraid to be charmed or otherwise. "It's just as mentioned in the contract, I'm supposed to bring you back alive,"

She couldn't help but sneer. "I see, you've become Goryo's lapdog? You know that man is a waste of space in this world,"

If he was offended, he showed no signs of it. "First, you can stop trying to provoke me. Second, Goryo is one of the most cunning person I've ever known, and anyone would be a fool to cross a cunning man as resourceful as he is,"

He turned his back towards her, and tugged her forward. She was forced to stand and stumbled as she nearly tripped over the fallen pillars of the tavern. She looked back at her tail – only one remained. Closing her eyes, she did a brief calculation in her mind. _Less than a month, perhaps two weeks at best, if I refrain from using any more magic._

"I'm sorry about your tails," the man suddenly spoke, his back still facing her. She glanced at him, watched as his shoulders slumped in defeat. Was his apology genuine? But what was the point of an apology after what had been done? Or was it guilt?

"What is done, is done," she answered. Her reply was full of remorse.

"Goryo will help you," he pulled on the rope, gently, then began walking. "There's a reason why he wanted you alive. I bet you're more useful to him alive than dead, so play on his side and you may have a chance at surviving,"

Her lips twitched. She knew he was lying. Goryo wasn't the one who wanted her. But she said nothing.

She looked at her tail once again, her mind currently the colour of her pristine white fur. She knew she had to devise a plan, and quickly. _Perhaps a charm, I can trick him to look me into my eyes. A few seconds are all I need, and I'll run as far away as possible from this man. Then head into the next town, restore my life force bit by bit. I'll head north, away from –_

As she was walking with her mind in some other place, she accidentally stumbled over something, almost tripping and falling to her knees. Cursing herself for being carried away, she looked at what made her fall, the anger and frustration inside her made her want to kick it away as hard as she could.

She froze. Her anger disappeared. Horror struck her, and she could feel her heart sink to the bottom of her stomach.

A child, perhaps ten or twelve, was laying on the floor with his face planted on the ground at first, but rolled over when she tripped over him. His face was pale, and his lips parted in a silent scream, frozen just as he released his last breath. She envisioned how his eyes looked before death, perhaps a pair of handsome green orbs, or electrifying blue with childish curiosity. But it didn't matter, because they were grey and lifeless like the limp body that laid before her.

The swordsman had turned towards her. But he said nothing, even though she expected him to return the blow from earlier by goading her.

She scanned her surrounding more thoroughly, taking in the massacre, realizing she was the root of it. She knew she lost control, but she did not realize how deadly it was.

"How many are dead?" her eyes darted back and forth in the town of Xindar, hoping that perhaps there was a survivor, or two.

His lips curled into an ugly grimace. "How many?" he echoed. "You killed everyone, there was no one left living, except me. Xindar is gone,"

 _Gone._ The word repeated itself in her head. In the distance, she could feel Thresh sneering at her, laughing, mocking her.

She did not want this to happen. She only did what she needed to save herself. This was nothing she expected.

It hit her hard. At that moment, she hated herself so much.

* * *

"We're not heading to Tevasa," she remarked, noticing how the trail was slightly different from the one she remembered. The chill was starting to set in, but not cold enough to snow – a clear sign that the spring breeze was coming. The wild flowers were blooming once again, and the path which the grass was sparse was now thick with overgrowth.

"No," he agreed. "We're heading to the Capital,"

Her captor and her were riding two geldings, which one had an irritating gait and another can barely walk a straight path. Two horses that were no longer in need because they were ill and old. She rode behind him, her ears and tails hidden from sight beneath her uncomfortable cloak that he made her wear. Her fingers and wrists were bound tightly but concealed under her cloak to avoid suspicion from passers-by. Her horse's reins were led by her captor, who seemed at ease and did not bother to hide his face.

"The Capital," she echoed. She wondered how many days' ride was it from the remote town of Xindar. "I thought you're suppose to hand me over to Goryo and his den of corrupts, not straight to the Council of Elders,"

"I am. The annual Festival of Fire is being held there in four days. If we ride day and night we'll reach there during the event, even faster than going to Tevasa. All the Elders and noblemen are bound to make an appearance, and I have no doubt that the one who paid me for you will be there,"

 _I see,_ she nodded lightly, getting an answer to the question she never asked. Every day she could feel her essence slowly ebbing away. And until now she wondered if she would expire before she made it to the Capital City.

Before this she had wanted to escape, to survive. But now, she wasn't so sure. She knew if she did not decide any sooner, fate would decide for her. She wouldn't have enough energy left to even cast a simple illusion spell.

After the things she had done in Xindar, she realized how destructive her powers were. If she lost control once more in the Capital City, there would be no knowing how massive the damage could be inflicted. The casualties could be more than that in Xindar.

 _Perhaps it is for the better, that I cease to exist once and for all._

The notion of death, however, scared her.

She remained silent and decided not to speak even a word to her captor. It was best if he knew as little as possible. And if she were to die before she even reached the Capital City of Ionia, then it was for the best. At least she wouldn't let anyone achieve their goals.

* * *

"You know, there is one thing that I am truly curious about,"

The swordsman ahead of her did not turn behind to acknowledge her question, nor did he ignore her as he replied with a hum. They had been riding in silence since their journey began. And she was beginning to find the silence boring, unfavourable, disdainful.

"Your brother," her voice softened. "What happened to him?"

He did not reply. She didn't expect him to.

He then spoke with nonchalance, "What is it about my brother that fascinates you? Do you plan to lay with him? Seduce him?"

She sneered, her eyes glowered dangerously. If her eyes could shoot daggers, the swordsman would have been dead.

"Even if that's my plan, I would kill you first,"

"Charming," he took her threat lightly. "Or are you smitten with my brother?"

"I only wish to know the fate of that one man who showed care and kindness to a little fox even though she stole food from his school's shrine,"

She noticed his shoulders slump with fatigue, a faint sigh released from his lips. She could tell that there was a lot he was keeping to himself, and she had obviously touched a sore subject. He swallowed hard, before answering.

"He fell in combat. With honour," that was it. Brusque, blunt and without further details.

"And what about you, _onda-ri_?" she smirked. "What happened to you, that you have to play along with Goryo's tunes?"

" _Do not call me that_ ," she could not see his face, but she could tell that his tone had turned dangerous and solemn. She glanced at the sword at his hip, and she knew he could draw it from his sheath in the split of a second. "I have a name, you know that,"

" _Yasuo_ ," his name echoed on her lips. "A name that stands for peace, tranquillity and protectiveness. Whether that's true or not, that remains to be seen,"

"Looks like you still have high hopes for my character. I suppose your real name stands for _bravery_ or _fearlessness,_ since you still have the guts to goad a man who held you captive,"

The smirk died on her face.

"I hate to disappoint you. But I don't even –"

The horses stopped their canter. Yasuo's hand went for his sword. They were both still for a full minute, and her ears stood alert, listening for any foreign movements around them. The bushes on both sides of the trail rustled slightly, and birds chirped, but that was all.

"What –"

He placed a finger at his lips, hand still gripping the hilt of his sword. Then she heard it, another rhythmic trot of a horse, but much livelier than theirs. She remained in her saddle, realizing if they were ambushed she wouldn't be able to do anything, because her hands were bound.

Someone emerged from the thicket. A bald man in leather armour mounted a black stallion, and hanging from a hook on his saddle was the upper half of the head of a man whose eyes were full of terror. The mangled head was still dripping with blood, no doubt the man had been screaming when he met his gruesome end.

She heard Yasuo breathed a relieved sigh, and his hand let go of his blade. She lowered her head, nonetheless, allowing the shadow of the cowl to conceal her face. "Hyo-Je," Yasuo called out. "You've given me a fright. What brings you to the Trail?"

"On my way to the _ssanghua-dian_ to collect my reward," the bald man rattled his trophy. She grimaced, disgusted. "I ought to lay low. The target I slew ain't no commoner,"

" _Ohhh. Not even a twitch in the eye when he lies,_ "

It took her all her willpower not to jump in her saddle when she heard that voice. She could feel his demonic presence behind her, as though he was just sitting on the horse's flank. She closed her eyes, and in her mind threw a few curses at him.

She could feel the bald man's eyes on her, studying her from head to bottom. "Working on a contract? Escort mission?" from the way he said it, she knew he couldn't see her bound hands. Yasuo had made sure of that.

"Yes," he agreed, smoothly. "I thought the lords would be attending the Festival of Fire,"

"They sure did," the man named Hyo-Je hacked a glob of phlegm and spat. "But being the 13th son of an Elder meant you are most likely to be ignored. So Master Xia-Ning preferred frolic back in the _ssanghua-dian_ ,"

Thresh chuckled behind her. " _Rather peculiar man. Then I wonder who the victim with half a face is? What's the point of returning when there is no one to return to?_ "

Her eyes widened. _Wait, you couldn't possibly mean…_

She deadened the thought in her mind. It was none of her business. Only Thresh knew what was going on, and she could tell he was having fun reading the bald man's thoughts. She thought about warning Yasuo, then remembered she had no reason to help him.

"I see," Yasuo nodded. "I must be on my way, Hyo-Je. It is nice to see a friendly face,"

He snapped the reins once, and the horse began its slow canter again. Deep inside, she was relieved that they would be far from this man. Her instincts told her that she should be wary of him.

"Yasuo, just to warn you," Yasuo stopped, and turned towards him. "I would keep a low profile in the Capital, if I were you. You're becoming the talk of the _ssanghua-dian_ ,"

She saw him arched an eyebrow in puzzlement. "What do you mean?"

"Rumour has it that you're the deserter and traitor who killed your own Elder. People might be after you to see if it's true or not,"

She turned to him to study his reaction, but Yasuo remained silent. Without another word, he turned towards the trail, and began riding.

"I'd like to see them try," he mumbled to himself. And she couldn't help the shudder than ran down her spine.

* * *

"None of this will work out,"

She wasn't sure if she was talking to him, or to Thresh, or simply to herself. They were both wearing the robes of the acolytes of the monks, with the cowls pulled so low that they concealed their eyes from the public view. At one point, she was glad that Thresh had decided to shut up – she thought she couldn't put up with his annoying remarks any longer.

She knew he heard her, but his grip on her forearm only tightened. They had abandoned the horses a few leagues from the main gates of the Capital City, to blend into the crowd more easily. And speaking of the crowd, it was a massive sea of people. Red lanterns adorned both sides of the streets, and a huge crucible on top of the main gate was crackling with flames red as blood.

"People will start wondering why we are isolated. We stand out like sore thumbs. They're going to question us, and we will blow our covers in no time,"

"We will be fine, as long as you remain quiet and stop being jittery," Yasuo snapped. His fingers drummed along his sword which was wrapped in swaths of linen and fashioned as a cane, and he pretended to walk with a limp as he leaned all his weight onto his sword. Two Hiten guards stood at the main gate, with their blades brandished as a few other guards inspected the goods before the people could enter the Capital City. Weapons were forbidden in the city, after all.

"You look awfully pretentious with that limp,"

"How about you do us both a favour and cast an illusion? Then we can both get in without any suspicions,"

"Helping you?" she wrinkled her nose. "Helping you or not, I am doomed either way, so what's the point?"

He did not answer her, since it was their turn to be inspected. One of the guards narrowed his eyes as he saw Yasuo with the limp, who continued leaning against the 'cane'. Both the guards looked at each other briefly, then nodded. They waved them in.

Yasuo merely nodded his thanks. She snorted. They continued walking until they were far from the main gate, which Yasuo then huffed and straightened his back, looking back occasionally to see if anyone was taking a second glance at them. She marvelled at the sight of the Capital City, which was far more different from the towns she had visited all these years. Red lanterns decorated houses, streets and signposts alike. Children squabbled as they weaved through the crowd. Further down the street, she could see the hubbub of the marketplace, where a huge stage was set up for the performances during the Festival of Fire. The residents of the Capital City were dressed in red, some even wearing hideous masks of red and white, as they waved red paper fans and danced to the beat of a distant drum.

Around the stage, stalls had been set up, selling wares, charms and food. Far beyond, she could make out the sharp peaks of various red tents, which the flaps on the front were decorated with the coat-of-arms and shields and banners of the noble houses of Ionia – the famous names of Ionia who had a seat at the council.

She thought they were heading to the marketplace, until her captor made a sharp turn and dragged her into an alley. There was no one there but them and a drunkard knocked out cold behind a trash heap, still mumbling in his drunken stupor.

She glanced at him incredulously, then saw his gaze fixed upon the crowd. She followed his stare, and saw the sea of people making way for a circle of guards, in which within stood several people who seemed like they were more than just noblemen. They all wore robes of azure blue and emerald green, and most had beards as white as snow and long until it touched their chests, their skin so wrinkled and their eyelids drooped so low she wondered if they can even see properly. One lady and one man stood out, however, the former with an olive complexion and dark hair cropped slightly above her ears, whereas the latter had his beard and hair fashioned in plaits, studying the crowd with a pair of keen eyes.

"The Circle of Elders. And there's Duchess Karma, and the most famous Wuju swordsman in Ionia, probably famous because he's the only one left," Yasuo whispered.

"And what's a woman doing in a council of old men?" she shook her head, clearly confused. "Seems like a harem to me,"

"She's one of the most influential figures in Ionia. They said she single-handedly held off the Noxians' invasion in the west coast, and some people even claimed that the 'dragons speak to her', whatever that means,"

"And why are we avoiding them?"

His grip on her forearm tightened, and she could feel waves of anxiety emanating off him. "One of them… Elder Sung, he served as an advisor and observer in my sword school. There's a fair chance he may recognise me,"

"We are bound to pass by them, at some point," she winced. "I hope you realize where we're going. The lord you're looking for may not even be here, just as your mercenary friend mentioned,"

"He's definitely here," they both turned around and walked down the alley, stepping over the drunkard who was still mumbling randomly. "His father was part of the Circle of Elders, Elder Seiryu, the legendary Sapphire Dragon who is the Minister of Military and Defense of Ionia. He devised many key stratagems used in taking Ionia back from the hands of the invaders, and the Circle has decided he is the best person to be put in charge in safeguarding the Kashuri Armouries,"

They turned a corner. She could hear the buzz of the crowd again, but this time they were nearer to the red tents that were pitched behind the grand stage. "His coat-of-arms is a pentagram bearing the sigil of two blue dragons. And that is where we will find his son,"

* * *

They had to sneak behind the grand stage, avoid several Hiten guards and crouch behind workbenches and props so they wouldn't be noticed. Elder Seiryu's tent was larger than most, and two guards remained at the opening of the tent, unmoving but with their crescent spears firm in their hands. Her ear twitched slightly, and she soon found out that these two men were under the influence of magic.

Yasuo walked up to them. They bore their eyes on him. She couldn't help but look away. He then leaned close to the men and said with a low voice.

"Tell Lord Daikyu that his package has arrived, he will know what it means,"

Both guards contemplated his words for a while, and remained still. She was bewildered at first, wondering if Yasuo had made a mistake or whatnot. Then both the guards stood aside, allowing them entry.

They walked past the guards and into the tent. As she passed by in between them, she felt a familiar tingle on her skin, and something pulled her little finger. Illusion magic. Something told her that these two were not human, and someone cast an illusion spell over them to hide their true appearances.

The interior of the tent was brightened with two braziers that roared with flames, placed on both sides of the tents. A large sandalwood table was in the middle, adorned with Ionian delicacies and a carafe of rice wine. A few more guards were inside as well, identical as the ones outside. A young lord sat behind the table, dressed in blue and green official robes like his father. His dark hair was combed back and tied tightly into a pony's tail, his jaw clean-shaven and showing off his strong jaw and high cheekbones, with lips coloured blood red and cheeks dusted white. His fingers were adorned with silver rings and accessories fused with sapphires and emeralds, while he delicately dined on a roast with fine golden cutlery. When Yasuo entered he looked at him with curious yellow eyes, then turned his attention to her, studying her, dissecting her with his eyes alone.

"Truly a professional," elegantly, he put down his cutleries, dabbed the corners of his smooth lips with a silk kerchief. He raised a finger, and a servant stepped forward to clear the table, leaving only the wine and two silver goblets on the table. "Sit, the creature must remain standing, however,"

Yasuo did as the lord said. She stood, motionless and her hands still bound, as her captor released his grip on her arm. A guard stood dangerously close behind her, and she couldn't help the feeling of unease at the bottom of her stomach.

"I've heard about the tragedy at Xindar," the lord filled both goblets to the brim, his voice soft-spoken and yet dangerously smooth. "And Goryo had informed me that you were last sighted there. I assumed the worst,"

"I made it. The same cannot be said for the folks of Xindar,"

"A shame. And the creature had a hand in it?"

Yasuo cleared his throat, shifted in his seat uncomfortably. "She… killed everyone in the town. It all ended very quickly,"

The young lord inhaled sharply.

"But it was unintentional," Yasuo added, and it surprised her that he was defending her. "She depended on human's essence to survive, and did what she needed to live. Being cornered unleashed her wrath,"

"You don't have to worry. I'll have her fed regularly, if she assists me without fail. If she's on the brink of losing control or turning against me, then I'll have her killed,"

"You don't understand," Yasuo smiled sadly. "She's a deadly weapon. I've seen the destruction she's inflicted on a small town, she's even capable of desecrating this whole Capital City,"

"Even a country?" the lord asked rhetorically, raising an eyebrow. His smirk made her shiver.

Yasuo's face remained hard as stone, but she could tell that he knew what the lord was suggesting. "What is it that you can't accomplish without her?"

"I don't have to reveal my plans to you, Yasuo. As a professional mercenary, you know better than to question the one who rewards you," the young lord stood, his hands folded neatly behind his back. "But I shall let this slight pass, for now, for your sake and mine. Leave her here and walk out of this tent without another question, and I guarantee you that not only shall your name be cleared, I'll also tell you the name of the person responsible for your Elder's murder,"

The silence in the tent grew tense, Yasuo's lips curled into a grimace. She found his words almost unfathomable, but looking at Yasuo's face, she could tell he had struck a bargain that was way too difficult to ignore.

Daikyu grinned. "The culprit can command wind, just as you can. I have pulled some strings and studied your case, Yasuo. And with that name, you can pursue justice and revenge for your lost honour, for your home,"

Yasuo's breaths were irregular, his fingers trembling uncontrollably. Lord Daikyu walked to him and leaned close to his ear, then whispered.

"Perhaps, you can even forgive yourself for what happened to Yone,"

Yasuo snapped and slammed his palms on the table, his untouched goblet of wine toppled and spilled the contents onto the wolfskin rug. "Do not mention his name!"

She flinched. Lord Daikyu retreated slightly.

"I won't hand her over until you tell me what is it that you want from her," he whispered harshly at the lord. "Enough games, Daikyu. There's a chance you may cause millions of innocent deaths and in my good conscience, I cannot allow that,"

The young lord's face grew solemn, and though slightly shorter than Yasuo, he still seemed intimidating and glared down at him. She was sure at that moment Daikyu would order Yasuo to be executed on the spot, and claim her as the prize, but she saw the cogs and gears in his mind turning and shifting, contemplating his choices of what to do with him.

"Rest assured," he placed a hand on Yasuo's chest, placating him. "Quite the contrary, really, I intend to save millions of innocent lives,"

"How charitable of you,"

"Ionia is in a filthy, rotten state," Daikyu raised his voice only a little, but the tension elevated tenfold. "Ionia was raped and razed by the Noxians, without mercy, and it was not because we lacked the resources to retaliate, but the Elders _refused to,_ "

"The Elders asked for assistance, we helped," Yasuo protested. "I was there, I fought the invaders as well,"

"When was it?" Daikyu snorted, the words he uttered filled with disdain and sarcasm. The smirk on his face was wicked and mirthless. He challenged Yasuo to speak, but he remained silent.

"They have seen the signs – the Noxians preparing for war. Demacia has warned us. There was a huge magical disturbance in the Omikayalan, the signs were obvious enough. The Circle opted to do nothing because it was against their principles to attack unprovoked. All the time we spent dilly-dallying, the enemy gained another step ahead of us.

"And when it was too late, the Circle started asking for reinforcements. Villages had been razed, sacred temples had been defiled, forests burnt. The Noxians took everything, and by the time we drove them back, there was nothing left,"

The young lord paced around the tent, at one point she felt his eyes on her, and she was tempted not to glare back at him. His presence alone was condescending, and demanded superior obedience from everyone. She did not have to look at him to feel pressured.

"The war has ended, there are no more enemies," Yasuo debated hopelessly.

"The Circle," Daikyu stopped pacing and whispered in a hushed voice. "is the enemy,"

She could hear a hitch in Yasuo's breath, and she imagined his eyes to be as wide as saucers. "If anything happens to anyone from the Circle, they won't let it go until they've found who did it,"

"Which is why I intend to replace all of them," Daikyu said coldly. "They are weak and old, and Ionia must be strengthened to face whatever the future brings. There will be a second invasion, and it will be bigger than the previous one. And her," he flicked his wrist at her. "She'll make quick work of them all,"

Yasuo shook his head in disbelief. "You're going to kill your father,"

"His time has come anyway. He did close to nothing to end the war. I ordered the Golden Demon to be released and equipped. I must admit, he had quelled the chaos and thinned the enemy quite efficiently, though he had gone rogue after the war,"

"Duchess Karma stood against the invaders. She fought like a true warrior – "

"I will offer her a proposition. If she persists in standing in my way, I'll have her removed from the equation," Lord Daikyu approached the swordsman, his goblet of wine in hand. "Now do you understand, Yasuo? If you're as good-willed as you claim you are, you'll know what's the best decision to make,"

The tent was silent, the tension intensified. She held her breath for a long time, and couldn't understand why, but she felt like his answer would matter to her.

Outside, the loud crack and boom of the fireworks resonated throughout the whole Capital City, answered with cheers and applause of the people of Ionia, signifying the commencement of the Festival of Fire.

"Your motives are right, Lord Daikyu. Ionia needs to change its old ways," Yasuo sighed. "But I cannot see eye to eye with your methods,"

She risked a glance upward, and peeped with her peripheral vision. She could feel the young lord seething. Although he was still and quiet on the outside, his eyes burnt with unbridled rage. "I have come this far, I won't let a maggot like you stop me,"

Both men locked gazes dangerously for a full minute, evaluating each other's strength. The lord's hand flashed, and Yasuo moved at once. The guards behind her seized her bound hands and kept her from dashing away. With a blink of an eye, Yasuo ripped his sword from its fabric prison, revealing the weapon in its full glory, just as Daikyu tossed a bladed star forward before being repelled from a wind wall.

She grunted and struggled against her guard's hold, even kicking them in the groin, but they barely budged. She threw her head backwards, smashing into a guard's chin, and hissed in pain and dizziness as though she has slammed her skull against a rock.

 _Rock?_ The question echoed itself in her mind.

Daikyu then stopped his assault, and a few other guards barged into the tent, their crescent spears in hand.

Yasuo found himself surrounded by the guards on all sides, then held his sword with two steady hands, calm as a pond untouched by ripples. But no matter how strong, they would be overwhelmed.

Because the guards were made to be invincible to swords and crossbow bolts.

But not magic.

She knew she had to interfere.

"Daikyu," she shook back her cowl with a toss of her head, and shouted far across the room, speaking for the first time since entering the tent. The lord looked at her once called, and made the grave mistake of meeting her eyes. The moment they locked gazes, his eyes turned from yellow to an unnatural blue, then to pink.

Lethargy overwhelmed her, but she resisted it. She could feel her life span shortening, but she ignored it.

" _Undo the spell,_ " she spoke, her voice veiled with a ghostly trance. " _Command the golems to step away and break their spell,_ "

The lord slowly took out a totem from his robes, muttered a few spells that she could not understand. The guards retreated as told, then dropped their weapons. Daikyu then snapped the totem into two with a flick of both his wrists, and the golems promptly crumbled as the illusion was dispelled and no longer held together by magic.

And so did her charm.

Daikyu gasped and staggered as the pupils of his eyes returned to their normal hues. The effort had taken a toll on her and her knees buckled, forcing her to her knees. Her hands were still bound and she couldn't hold herself from smacking her face onto the floor, letting out a painful grunt.

And found herself face to face with half of a head hidden underneath the table. She froze in terror.

"Damn it," Daikyu moaned, still swaying as he grabbed on the edge of the table to balance himself. Yasuo pulled her up and mostly dragged her out of the tent, she thought she heard goblets and pitchers being thrown from the table, but her hearing was all too muffled to confirm.

"We have to leave," Yasuo whispered, tugging her cowl up and hiding her face. She stumbled in her steps and tried to keep up with him, but she could barely walk straight. Moving away from the tents of noble houses, they quickly merged with the crowd.

" _I've been attacked!_ " they could hear Daikyu's shriek behind them, penetrating through the noise of the crowd, which make them trudge faster. " _He's here! The Unforgiven is here! The criminal! The traitor!_ "

Around them, several people gasp and stopped cheering. The theatrical performance on the grand stage continued without any interruption, as though his warning barely mattered. The people who heard Daikyu started mumbling amongst themselves, sifting and looking through the crowd for the murderer mentioned.

Yasuo snaked through the massive sea of people, and he was met with glares and annoyed grunts as he bumped into them. She could hear the commotion behind her, but she dared not look behind, or else Daikyu could easily spot them out.

" _They are in disguise! They dressed like the Shojin acolytes!_ "

"Make way," a Hiten guard growled as he plowed through the crowd. Ahead of them, she could see a few Hiten guards looking for them as well.

And she made the mistake of making eye contact with one of the guards. She averted her gaze immediately but it was too late.

"You!" he shouted. Yasuo cursed. A few other guards were coming in, fast. "Stop!"

"Run, run!" Yasuo tugged her arm roughly, and broke into a sprint. The guards behind them still yelled, shrieking so that their voices could be heard amidst the cacophony of percussions, fireworks and cheers. They both did not care, pushing people aside so they could make way, and she followed closely behind.

They dashed through an empty alley, the guards still hot on their trail. Yasuo did not stop, weaving through the piles of trash in the narrow alleyway, as he turned abruptly and bumped into a man who was the same height as he was. Startled, they both staggered a few steps backwards. Yasuo brandished his sword and snarled, before lowering it as he realized who it was.

"Hyo-Je?"

"Yasuo," the mercenary in the leather armour greeted, panting wildly. Hyo-Je was well disguised to be hidden from the public's eye. "The guards are after you, I heard. Come, I know a secret pathway that will get us out of the City safely,"

"What are you doing here? I thought you should be at the _ssanghua-dian_?"

"Changed my mind, thought I could risk a bit to come to the Festival. Guess your escort contract failed badly?"

Yasuo said nothing, rolling his eyes. Hyo-Je merely chuckled, and gestured to follow him.

"Come, I'll get you guys out of here,"

"I owe you one," Yasuo grunted, then tugged her along. Her feet were rooted to the ground, however, refusing to budge. He turned around and shot her an annoyed glare, this time tugging her even harder.

"Stop," she sneered.

Yasuo gritted his teeth. "You are coming with me, I won't let you fall into Daikyu's hands,"

"He is with them," she lowered her voice and enunciated every word carefully, barely audible. Yasuo only looked at her, clearly puzzled.

"He is with them," she repeated, this time loud enough that Hyo-Je could hear her. She looked at the man's face, studying the subtle shift of his facial expressions.

"What's with you?" Yasuo whispered harshly at her.

"The trophy you bring back to," she ignored Yasuo and said to the mercenary. "You weren't suppose to give it to your master back in the _ssanghua-dian_ , was it?"

Hyo-Je's face was a mask of indifference. Yasuo looked back and forth at them, trying to make sense of the situation. The mercenary then approached them.

"The trophy is meant for my master, why else do you think I would bother taking it back?" Hyo-Je shrugged. "If you don't want to be helped, suit yourself,"

"I saw the head," she said angrily. "The half of the head, under Daikyu's table just now,"

Hyo-Je glared at her, and inside her she felt a tiny wave of triumph. Yasuo eyed him warily, and his hold on his sword tightened again.

"And that head," she began, remembering Thresh's words. "Whose head is that? And who is your master?"

The mercenary's eyes darkened, his hands clenched into fists as his lips curled in a grimace.

"Master Xia-Ning's," he revealed, then tossed a blade at them with lightning reflexes. Yasuo reacted too slowly, and it embedded deep into his shoulder blade, earning a painful grunt from him. He threw another blade again, and this time she shoulder-slammed into Yasuo, throwing him to the floor as the blade whizzed.

She gasped quietly. But she had no time to recover. The blade cut through her bound wrists neatly, but embedded itself in her gut.

"Over there!" the guards yelled behind them. She cursed.

Yasuo stood with all his strength, using his sword as a leverage. Hyo-Je tossed three blades at once, but they flew over his head and were buried deep in the throats of the Hiten guards, killing them instantly.

"There's a bounty for your head, Yasuo. Not just the mercenaries of the _ssanghua-dian_ is looking for you, the whole of Ionia knows about it," Hyo-Je approached him, playing with a blade in his hand. "And do you know how handsome the reward is? The one to hand you over won't have to work for the rest of his life,"

"And thanks to who?" Yasuo growled, pulling the blade from his shoulder and throwing it to the ground.

"Lord Daikyu," Hyo-Je answered. "You think he intends to let you roam Ionia freely after you deliver his _package_?" he eyed her, and snorted haughtily. "That man never leaves a witness, and you know too much. He has requested an arrest warrant from the Circle to have you apprehended and executed, and it has gone public ever since. And now you dig your own grave by denying the man his prize.

"Not only that, he has revealed in the _ssanghua-dian_ that the one who brings him your head will be rewarded with more than just gold and women. And all hell broke loose. Mercenaries turned on their masters and swore their loyalty to Daikyu, just so they could get to you. The benefactors who aren't dead are now in hiding and quivering in fear. The _ssanghua-dian_ is no longer a safe haven for the corrupted noblemen,"

"Impossible, Goryo has poisoned all the benefactors –"

"That fat bard is missing, that's when Daikyu took advantage. It's like he just vanished into thin air, and Daikyu had his vault broken down, retrieving his antidote then destroying the rest. Those who refused to surrender to Daikyu were betrayed and disposed of. The rest of the Underworld is now under his command,"

"Corrupted those benefactors may be, but they are still sons of noble houses. The Elders will not take this lightly, and this will all be traced back to the young lord himself,"

"Unless he has full command of the Circle,"

Yasuo huffed incredulously. "Don't be absurd,"

"You don't know what this man is capable of," Hyo-Je withdrew another dagger. "He has resources, and he knows how to use them. You think you can see through everything, Yasuo, but that's your fatal mistake. Your arrogance is your biggest weakness. You underestimated Daikyu and thought you could play him, and now you pay the price,"

She caught him shooting her a brief, warning glance. _Ready_ , he almost said, and hid a hand behind his back. She looked back and forth at Hyo-Je and the man before her, and she could hear more guards behind her. Hiding her lithe body behind him, one of her hands reached for his.

"I know my mistakes, Hyo-Je," Yasuo said, his words formed in a low grumble.

Hyo-Je twirled his dagger, preparing himself for another throw.

"And _yours_ as well!" he roared, pulled his sword from the ground, and sent a burst of air towards the mercenary just as he threw his dagger. Assaulted by the strong gale, the dagger altered its trajectory and flew towards its owner instead, plunging itself deep into his shoulder. Hyo-Je howled. The Hiten guards shouted behind him.

The next thing she knew, they ran through the streets of Ionia. She did not know where they were going, or if he had a direction in mind. They just ran, ushered by bursts of adrenaline and his instincts. And she followed.

At that moment, her wound did not even bother her. It didn't occur to her that for the whole time he was gripping her hand tightly, unwilling to let go.

" _Stop them!_ "

Yasuo watched as the guards at the main gate formed up to barricade their only exit. The crowd dispersed and gave way as they saw the wanted criminals running helter-skelter, not wanting to be in the way of a crazed man with a sword.

It was an act of impulse. She did not know why she did it, knowing that he would have acted at the last second. But her eyes flared and she broke free from his grasp briefly. He made the mistake of looking behind, and she knew he saw her eyes and her unbound wrists. Her eyes glowed blue and green, as an orb formed in her freed hands. Yasuo stopped.

But the spell was not directed at him. She threw the orb forward, towards the guards who began to hesitate as they stared at her with trepidation. Some took out their shields, but the orb stopped short before colliding, then exploded, throwing the guards off their feet.

"You –"

"They are just knocked out," she cut him off. Gripping his hand, she ran and pulled him along since he was too stunned to move. "Come on!"

Together, they ran past the line of guards that were knocked unconscious, as the chaos erupted within the heart of Ionia.

* * *

"I think we are safe," Yasuo glimpsed through a thicket as they hid beneath a rotted tree trunk. She plucked the berries from the thicket and popped them into her mouth without hesitation, savouring their sweet taste upon her tongue.

"For how long?" she asked, offering him a few berries.

He looked at the berries in her hand hesitantly, and stared at her eyes, wariness thick in his gaze.

She rolled her eyes and scoffed. "If I want you dead, I would have done it already,"

He took a berry slowly, and took a small bite. "We can rest for now, I have a wound that needs to be dressed. And I'll think of where to go next,"

"There's nowhere we can go," she mumbled to herself, then stood and hopped off the boulder she sat on. She landed on both her feet, and instantly regretted it as the jarring raced up her body. A bolt of pain made her breath hitch.

A hand went to the wound at her gut. The wound she had sealed shut with just a tiny whisper of magic, but obviously not enough to heal it for good. It was probably breaking apart when they raced through the city, and now she had busted it open completely.

"Is something the matter?" he asked. She wondered if he heard her silent gasp.

"Nothing," she lied. "I just need… a moment to myself,"

"Turn around," he said sternly. She tried to think of an excuse to walk away from him, or goad him. But she felt anxious, like her tongue was too large or the roof of her mouth was awfully dry, making her unable to speak.

And so she listened to him, and turned. He was completely bare from above the waist, his hand pressing a bandage against his bleeding wound. Their eyes met for a moment, and at that moment, she felt naked before him as he scrutinized her.

"Come over," his voice softened, and she could not understand the emotions that were hidden within his words.

She sat down before him. His eyes were fixed on her wound, studying it as he uncorked a flask of wine. Retrieving the poker from a dying firepit, he started probing her wound, earning an excruciating hiss from her.

"Thank you for what you did back there," he admitted. "In Daikyu's tent… And at the gates,"

"Really, it never occurred to you that I was just trying to save my hide?"

"Are you always this cynical?"

"I learnt it," she winced as he pressed too hard. "From your species,"

He did not deny it. He remained his focus on dressing her wound. She swallowed hard every time he poked her in the wrong way, but he did not apologize.

"What are you doing?"

Yasuo stopped, then looked up at her.

"Like you said, what happened in Xindar," she could not find it in herself to continue. Her hands trembled, and it was not because of the pain. At that moment she felt the same overwhelming emotion that she felt when she first became human. "It… I can't fall into the hands of a wrong person. Someone like Daikyu. You didn't kill me because you think you can bargain with him. And you failed. And now I serve no purpose to you. Why are you helping me?"

Yasuo looked away, released an exasperated sigh.

Inside her, her guilt turned to rage. Angered, she grabbed his wrist and pulled the bandage away. "Do it, cut it off. You should have done it back in Xindar,"

She swallowed hard. He did not move at all. Instead, he raised his head and stared deep into her eyes. She felt captivated, being at such close proximity with the man who had almost killed her.

"Do you have a name?" he asked after a brief moment of silence.

"I…" _all this while, I never had one. I longed to be human and I'm close to becoming one. But I can never be if I don't have a name. I tried to give myself one, hearing different names being uttered by people around me. But they never sounded right. Hardly rang true. What's the point of having a name if you don't understand the meaning of it? Like a lost, empty husk of a person pretending to be someone she's not?_

"I'm an arrogant man," he looked straight into her eyes and spoke with all the honesty from his heart. "He was not wrong. I'm arrogant enough to think that I know everything that has to be known. I believe that I know everything, and I know you have a greater conscience than most of anyone I've met so far. I know there's redemption for you,"

She was in a daze, unable to find the words that were stuck in her throat.

"And I cannot, in my good conscience, afford to make the same mistakes that I had made so many years ago. I know there's a good chance you'll murder me, but I won't do it. I won't kill you. You are the last remnant of a memory long forgotten, I'm not ready to let that go yet,"

He slowly pried away her fingers and pressed the bandage she had peeled away earlier into her palm. Without another glance, Yasuo stood and left her to her own thoughts, opting to sit on a boulder and polish his sword.

She stood abruptly, and the words tumbled out of her mouth before she could stop herself. "Ahri. My name is Ahri,"

He looked at her, frowning. "That's the identity Goryo gave you. You're no longer a _ssanghua_ ,"

"It was the only identity I understood," she confessed. "The only identity I could relate to,"

They looked at each other, exchanging words with short glances. And it was only broken when she felt a familiar searing pain flaring through her tail. She looked back and saw that her white tail started to turn brown, some of the fur beginning to fall away.

"Ahri?" Yasuo called out, alarmed. She gasped as she swayed on her feet, her vision clouding. She suddenly felt exhausted, and the pain went up her back. Depleted of her energy she fell to her knees, her arms too heavy to even hold herself up.

She felt old. Wasted. _Dying_. A lump lurched in her throat and she threw up on the ground. Yasuo cursed.

The last thing she felt when her vision dimmed was his arms around her, holding her from falling face-first into her own vomit.

* * *

 **A/N: I was hit by the worst case of writer's block for a span of two months after my exams ended. But I'm just glad I managed to finish this chapter. Thank you to all of you who are still supporting this story!  
**


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